


The last month of summer and everything inbetween

by MijumaruFan



Series: The tough world that is life [2]
Category: Kung Fu Panda (Movies)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Drama, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Parental Guidence, Rumors, The relationship isn't the focus tho im sry, but there not really relevent, its kind of a sequel yet its also a prequal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21990931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MijumaruFan/pseuds/MijumaruFan
Summary: A month after the events of "It's not easy being cuddly", we follow Shifu, Tigress and Mr. Ping as they navigate their daily lives and relationships while preparing for Tigress's birthday! All in the last month of summer.What could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Crane/Mei Ling (Kung Fu Panda)
Series: The tough world that is life [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1585369
Comments: 24
Kudos: 33





	1. I piled up my feelings in a rough draft

Sweet smells of noodles and spices filled his senses. The red panda couldn't help but smile before taking his chopsticks and tasting the noodles prepared for him.

Usually, he would ask Po at that very moment to pass him the dumplings but today... He was alone in the kitchen, his students long gone down to the village whilst he meditated. His eyes looked upon the note his daughter left him.

_"Good afternoon Baba. I saved you a bowl of noodles I made before we all leave out to help Mr. Ping today, please make sure you eat. - Master Tigress"_  
Such a small gesture warmed his heart. Even when his mind was clouded. He sighed, despite the good food before him the thoughts he attempted to banish would not leave him. 

It was such a trivial thing really...

"When is my birthday?"

"Huh?" Shifu asked a little surprised by her abrupt question. They had mostly sat in silence during the evening as of late.

She didn't move from her rather casual spot on the hill they sat upon. "My birthday." She stated it so simply and without care.  
He blinked a few times like a fool before asking another question. "Is it alright if I ask why?"

Master Tigress was silent another moment as her head leaned upon her arm, which was propped up by her knee. Her red eyes gazed forward but looked into nothing.   
Well, nothing he could see. 

"Just curiosity nothing more." 

He should have expected the rather short answer, he had learned these past few weeks his daughter could be as mysterious as Oogway without even trying. It couldn't just be curiosity, there had to be something more to it?  
Right?

He stroked his beard in an attempt to mask his curiosity. "I can check your papers tomorrow for it. I apologize for not knowing it."  
As still as the statues in the garden, Tigress spoke once more never skipping a single beat.   
"There's no need. It was never important, to begin with."

He pushed his empty bowl forward, letting his head fall and hit the wood of the table. 

"I may aswell just dub myself the ruiner of childhoods..."  
Summer couldn't end quick enough for this red panda.

~

The sun blazed upon the Valley of Peace as people went about there day, attempts to stay out of the sun and in any shade was the way to go!   
Which was why Mr. Ping had the brilliant idea of adding, wait for it, Umbrellas! Patio Umbrellas to be specific! Noodles with nice cold water to boot was perfect for summer business!

Although he couldn't hog the idea all to himself, he had a bit of inspiration a couple of weeks ago.  
His noodle shop looked like a deserted ghost town! It was awful, revolting, and any other word that could express his absolute disappointment!!

"Despondency." 

The old goose exited the kitchen with Tigress in tow. "Yes that works, and despondency! So much Despondency!" He flopped on one of his tables, the sickening heat made the surface far too warm to the touch. "Oh, how I want Summer to just end. No one wants to come out in this heat and eat noodles. Even with the water, I'm willing to give. For FREE." He was so disgruntled during his rant, his noodle hat fell off his head. "Give me another word." 

"Disillusionment, maybe?" She spoke out of his sight as he looked upon the front entrance as a few people walked right on by.

"I don't like the sound of that one." He muttered, at this point, he wasn't even really thinking about anything. Just seething at their abrupt 'break'. He could hear her rustling through something near the kitchen door but he trusted the tiger enough with his stock. She was a good young lady.  
His head soon fell into his feather, eyes closed as she made her way to his side. "Chagrin then?"

"Chag-what?"

There was a small thud noise on his table before she spoke again. "Chagrin, distress at having failed." 

His eyes opened wide and darted straight at the tiger before him. "I haven't failed just yet!" He refused to fail in this market, he'd been selling noodles for many summers before. This one was no different. "I just haven't figured out a way to get customers in here again."

It was then he noticed it.

The shade above him, that cast a dark shadow over his table. It was still warm to the touch but felt far better than being under the exposed sun.   
"I'm sure you'll think of something Mr. Ping." There. Master Tigress stood over him holding an umbrella, the one he kept behind the kitchen door for when he had to go out quickly. He looked down to see she had placed the hilt of the umbrella on top of the table to better cover him from the sun's rays.

A marvelous idea bloomed into his head at that very moment, a grin widespread across his face.

The young tiger leaned in front of the goose, puzzled by his sudden glee. "Mr. Ping?""

Tigress, you're a genius! No, you're my savior!" He exclaimed with utter joy as he spread his wings wide. 

Tigress, on the other hand, was confused. "Whu-What?" 

Mr. Ping was on a roll with his thoughts, re-energized with thoughts of profit on his mind. "Why did you put the umbrella up for me?" He spoke with a smile.

The tiger master without fail kept the umbrella over the goose. Her eyes went upward and then back to him. "Because you looked miserable in this heat."  
"Exactly!!" He pointed a feather straight at her. "Now imagine if all my tables had these umbrellas, people would swarm in here for a nice shady spot while eating noodles!" He was practically spinning around at the image of customers sitting under his umbrellas!

And then his smile disappeared, replaced with a serious almost battle-hardened expression.   
"We need to go to the store!"

"Alright. I have time so I don't mind going." She spoke with a small smile as she handed the noodle owner his hat.   
Mr. Ping took his hat from her happily. To be quite frank he forgot all about it. "Thank you, dear. I appreciate it." 

And thus was how Master Tigress inspired Mr. Ping to give his little shop a summer makeover!

It took a few days, a bit of help from the rest of the five and his son and quite frankly alot of wood to get it all ready but they managed in the end.  
What was once an empty shop was now bustling with life! And he couldn't be happier! Thankfully, he had a bit of help with the sudden increase in customers. Usually, it was just himself, Po or Tigress helping him in the afternoon to the evening after their training but lately, the other members of the five decided to help out.

Most likely because Po told them he tends to give Tigress to go bags after helping him out. Well, he supposed he couldn't entirely blame them and he never minded sharing leftovers after a hard day's work. And truth be told he felt bad never giving her anything when she spent time here.   
When he started making a new batch of soup for the never-ending hungry customers, a memory popped in his head for some reason.

The memory of when he started seeing Tigress more often. 

It had been entirely by chance but one afternoon, he'd spotted an orange blur on the rooftops one day, there was only one person that matched that description. So he did the only thing he felt was right, he smiled and waved at her.

He could barely believe it was only half a year ago. Speaking of the tiger in question. "Tigress!" He called from the kitchen window. "It's time to take a break, get Crane and Monkey to cover for you both." He knew without a reminder she'd run herself ragged, it seemed like a very bad habit of hers that she also did during training. 

She seemed liked she wanted to argue against it but stopped herself. There was no arguing with Mr. Ping. "Yessir." The master nodded before telling Po, who had just got done impressing a kid with his 'mad waiter skills' that it was break time.  
"Oh, good I was getting kind of hungry." The panda laughed lightly as he patted his stomach. 

After letting Crane and Monkey come out with their aprons, they both hunched into the small kitchen filled with the wonderful scent of his secret ingredient soup.  
Mr. Ping already had two bowls in his hands for the masters before him. Even with Tigress, they were both rather predictable when it came to being hungry. "Here. After you eat you can both help me in the kitchen. You both did a great job out there." He spoke softly.

The looks on their faces were priceless memories for the noodle shop owner, no matter how many times he gave them food they always seemed grateful.   
Maybe the summer didn't have to end so soon with moments like this.

~

They both ate in silence, well as silent as you can be eating noodles.

Tigress was seated on the floor with Po, he'd finally stopped suggesting she sit on his old bed whenever they came up here with each other.   
She would never admit it out loud but the suggestion made her feel like a child. 

Her eyes wandered as she ate her soup, she looked upon the chopped wood, bowls, pots, and his other 'collectibles' she'd seen time and time again. And then there were the posters.

She never really paid much attention to them but today she couldn't tear her gaze away from it. What caught her attention the most was a group poster of the five and her visage in particular. She couldn't quite place the expression. Did it seem confident yet angry or aggressive? She couldn't quite place it like the others' expressions on it.   
Is this how people saw her?

Is that how she looked?

At that moment she turned away from the poster, something awful twisted in her stomach at the thoughts, wanting to see Mr. Ping alot right now.

"Ti?" Po spoke with an almost full mouth and a noodle on his face. "You okay?"

She couldn't help but stare at Po for a moment, he looked really silly. Which kind of made her feel better. "Yes, I was just thinking. You have a noodle on your face." 

"Oh!" He was quick to get it. "So what's on your mind?" The panda asked after fixing himself up.

It wasn't that hard to deflect from her true intentions. "Why are birthdays important?" The tiger asked before taking a few more bites of her noodles.   
"Well..." Po scratched his head as he thought about it, he even took a swig of his broth before answering. "Its a special day to celebrate when you were born." 

She took a sip of her broth before replying. "Why?" 

"Wh-Why? Uh well, its...It's a tradition!" He placed his bowl down as his thoughts ran. She could tell from his face. "A very special tradition to celebrate life." 

"So basically you don't know why." 

Po looked almost physically struck down by her reply. "I mean you get cake so does it really need a reason to be important?" 

With her bowl now empty, she also set it aside on his own. "You can order or make cake whenever you want though." 

His face brightened as if he had the ultimate reason why it was in fact important! "That's where you're wrong! You get candles on your birthday! You can't get that everyday!" A rather confident laugh escaped him.

And then a legitimate question popped into the tiger's head. "Why do we put candles on the cake anyway?"   
"To like tell your age," Po said slowly, even though he seemed to be questioning it himself now.

Suddenly Tigress felt invested in this topic. "But why? Why on the cake? Who thought of that? There's already a whole song telling the person' age to them." 

The dragon warrior paused before Master Tigress, his face made many expressions in such a short amount of time. All that spelled out his final statement.

"I actually do not know." 

While Po mulled over that, she picked up the two bowls on the floor. She was about to go downstairs until the panda spoke up.

"Give it back." Was all he said.

"I don't know what you are talking about." She averted her amber eyes to the bowls in her paws.

"Ti Don't lie. This is the fifth time you've done this."

Tigress mulled over her options silently before giving in with a huff. She reached in her back pocket pulling out the action figure. "Here."

"You know you could just ask me for it..." He took the figure from her paws before getting up himself. "Why is it always Crane you take?"

"No reason. Also, this is the twentieth time I've done this."

~

As the days roll by the heat seems to never fade...


	2. The me inside the mirror says "I want to change!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shifu searches for answers in a noodle shop.

"Ugghh..."

Shifu groaned as he fanned himself with one of his many papers. It was late in the evening it should be cooler than this...  
He'd already spent almost two hours looking for Tigress' documents, he had no clue until now just how many documents he'd accumulated overtime. It was a mess, to say the least, one of these days he would have to ask Zeng to help him sort through it. It was all in a small cabinet in his room, lined up making it seem like it was organized. 

At some point, he just pulled the whole thing out in frustration. 

At least the floor was kind of cool to the touch, he thought as he shifted through more scrolls. 

As he continued reading through old writings even musings of his own from days long gone, he couldn't help but think back on what Tigress had said.  
"She probably got that mindset from me." He grumbled to himself as he found some old work he had done when he was a mere student. "Gods, my handwriting used to be atrocious." Just thinking of those harsh days at his beginning made him wonder how his daughter handled it all. 

Did she think so low of herself?

Or was she emulating him in a way? 

He carelessly threw a scroll he deeply did not want to remember, youth was truly one of a kind huh?

While he rummaged through the scrolls he couldn't help but wonder if he ever affected her positively moreso in an emotional sense...  
It was the middle of July when they went out together.

_The sun blazed with an intensity that matched a volcano, to put it simply he was hot and suffering._

_But he had promised his daughter for weeks he'd come out and spend time with her when he had time so he endured it. Surprisingly they hadn't walked through town at all, the tiger mostly stuck to the sidelines, alleys, and shortcuts that kept them out of sight from the bustling market. Was this usually how she got around?_

_Soon, they exited the village mostly in silence. The only thing she'd told him was and quote "I'd like to go to the river." He didn't question why because she seemed happy at the thought of going. If her tail was any indicator. So why not make it a surprise?_

_He could hear the water trickle down the river, fish and other aquatic life splashing about in their environment, it was no Sacred pool of tears but still beautiful in its own way._  
_"So what shall we be doing today?" He finally asked as he watched the tiger pull the backpack she brought off her back and pulled out two medium-sized bowls._

_She looked at him with her amber eyes, they almost seemed calm. "We're going to pick water chestnuts if that's alright with you."_

_The old red panda couldn't help but tilt his head at that, it felt like he was a 'plush' all over again learning that she liked cooking. Well, that explained the backpack. "Are we going to make something with them? And when did you start doing this?" He couldn't help but ask since now it was clear as day: He knew nothing about her outside of training._

_She was already dipping her feet in the water, moving her right in a circular motion. "I'm not sure yet." She paused looking straight to her left. "I just want to pick some for Mr. Ping since we come out here when he wants to make a cake. It's good." Her final comment was tipped off with her tail making a very wide almost wagging motion._

_Shifu was already folding his green robe away, he didn't mind getting a little wet but did there father-daughter time have to be based on how she spent time with that goose!_  
_Breathe in... He took a step into the nice cool water. Breathe out... 'I mustn't let jealousy cloud my mind again.'_  
_He feigned a smile despite his thoughts. "Oh? Maybe we can get him to make us some or Po could help." The field of chestnuts was not far from the coast, soon his vision was filled with green, if he hadn't known better he would have assumed it was a large expansion of lilypads._

_It was surprisingly pretty._

**_Crunch!_ **

_Shifu looked up to see Tigress holding a long plant with little red seeds on it, and she was...chewing..._

_He was sure he made a very unpolite face. "Did you just...Did you just eat that raw?"_  
_She had the nerve to try and pass the plant to him. "Yeah. it's pretty good. Po let me try some when he came with us once although Mr. Ping was a little annoyed we ate some of them."_

_"I'm sure he was."_

_After that, they picked the little seeds with idle chatter. Well, it kind of had to be that way considering she was showing and explaining how they would pick them. There was alot more to chestnut picking than he thought there would be._  
_She even stopped him from pulling out one since it could be harvested a few more times from what she told him._  
_It felt a little more educational than bonding, to be honest, but she seemed to be having a good time especially when she talked of her past trips here with Mr. Ping and even Po._

_Their bowls were almost full as they floated about in the water. "I guess you must love this type of thing huh?" He noted aloud as he took a break at the edge of the river, with his feet still in the water. It felt far too good to leave._

_Tigress was still crouched in the water, looking around at the vegetation. She was silent for a long moment for some reason._  
_He was about to call her name until she answered._

_"I'm...not sure." She started quietly as her hand dipped back into the water. "But I do know I love coming out here with Mr. Ping, it makes me feel happy. And I always want to come back when we leave."_

That was most likely one of the most honest statements she had told him during there time together. The whole moment felt so unreal in a way. Tigress was never one to speak too much about her feelings even in the tensest of times. And the way she quietly said it as if to keep anyone else but him from hearing her selfish whims. 

It was special yet not truly their moment.

"Aha!" He spoke aloud, holding the scroll he needed most upward! He'd found it! He took the scroll over to his desk and opened it. He couldn't help but smile at her picture in it. She was so little.  
"Now birthday, birthday...." He chanted as he pulled his finger down the information until-  
Ah.  
"It's..." He slumped back to the cool yet messy floor filled with scrolls. 

"...next week."

~

_August is like the Sunday of summer._

~

'Maybe Tigress was hanging out with Po too much.'

Shifu was currently heading down the thousand steps as he thought this, it wasn't that he was against them being friends but...there seemed to be a lingering influence from the panda he just couldn't quite explain.   
Or maybe it was something else?

That thought made him stop completely, what else could it be? He leaned on his staff heavily as he looked down upon the village in all its late evening beauty. Lanterns being lit one by one in preparation for the night. 

He sighed.  
At least it wasn't as muggy as earlier...

He walked down the path to the front of Mr. Ping's establishment, his front lanterns were already lit, he couldn't help but marvel at the lanterns designs. Of course, they had the Dragon warrior himself on one and the five on the other. 

"Good evening Shifu!"  
The old panda's ear twitched towards the sound of Ping's voice, he was quick to give a small bow of his head before entering. "And Good evening to you aswell, Mr. Ping. I hope everything is going well with your shop?" Truth be told outside of mahjong games they tended to play, he never really had time or thought about coming down too often. Anything he heard of this place came from Po and recently Tigress.

With one last swipe to his table, he appeared pleased with his work. "With all the help I've been getting this year its been a success this summer! Oh...did we schedule a game this evening?" The goose paused, tapping his flipper in thought.  
No matter how strange Ping seemed to act, he was always in his way rather respectful to the master. 

"No." He waved the thought away with his free hand. "I came here to tell you something. It's about Tigress." It was finally time for him to take out the scroll he'd been carrying. "It's about her birthday, she asked me about it and I thought with how close you two are you'd like to know first."

"Her...birthday..."   
What Shifu looked up to was unexpected, he assumed Mr. Ping would be overjoyed by this news since he seemed to enjoy doing parties even if it was partly for profit. But now...  
Mr. Ping looked worried as if he'd told him Po was going on a long eight-month journey to an unknown land that he couldn't disclose. 

Were his feathers turning white?

"Yes." The master watched Mr. Ping for a moment before continuing, was this the something else he was looking for? "Is there a problem?"  
"W-Well, N-no. I just..." Mr. Ping fumbled with the cloth in his hands, seeming very unsure. "I assumed it wasn't a subject she wanted to talk about since she told me she didn't know it." His eyes seemed so sad almost regretful...

It was then Shifu made a decision, with a soft pat of the table near them he sat down beckoning the other to follow. "How about we talk?"  
Today, he would learn just a bit more about Tigress. From the person she said, she felt happy with.

The goose made a rather tired noise. "Ah, I'm sorry. I should be happy you know it..." He was soon in the seat, Mr. Ping was a talkative little thing in the evening so it wouldn't be hard to get him to talk.

"Did she say anything about it beforehand?"   
"No." Ping waved his feather dismissively at him, he went so far as to shake his head. "I asked her about it months ago just to spark a conversation since...well I wanted to get to know her better."   
"Months ago!?" Shifu couldn't hold in his shock at this new information.   
"You didn't know?"  
"No!"

This mystery was getting out of hand, just what was Tigress doing?   
He really knew next to nothing about her! Did she hold off asking about her birthday for months? And why?   
Due to his silence, Mr. Ping continued to offer his explanation. "And then she got really quiet after she said she didn't know. Almost sulky. I thought I may have hurt her feelings but she came back the next day." 

Shifu's finger tapped fast on the table as his thoughts ran. "Tigress doesn't sulk. She can get grumpy but I've never seen her sulk." That was a tiny fib.  
"And I hope you never do." Mr. Ping then pushed himself up from the table. "I'm going to make some tea, would you like some?"  
"Yes, I would. Thank you."   
"No problem." 

Their conversation seemed to move from the eating area to his kitchen, it was a homely little spot. Even if he wondered how Po lived in such a small space at times.  
He watched as Mr. Ping set up the kettle, filling it up with water and getting the cups. The goose moved so slowly in the evening, it was strange in comparison to how fast he was during the day.

Why did he hope he would never see Tigress sulk?  
"Ping."

The goose only hummed to acknowledge his query. For some odd reason, the two could easily fall into random comfortable bouts of silence at times. This was no different.  
"When did Tigress start visiting you?" The question burned brightly in his mind. What was it about Mr. Ping that caught her attention? And could he learn or take something from it to further their distant relationship? 

Mr. Ping looked at him just for a split second before turning back to the kettle, a soft chuckle escaping him. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised she doesn't talk to you very much." His eyes soon wandered to the pictures of himself with a young Po. 

"What's that supposed to mea-!"  
Mr. Ping interrupted the fuming beat red panda. "It was the beginning of January..." 

_The rain was pouring without any remorse, as soon as it started deep puddles had already been made, water trickled off roofs like small waterfalls and everyone scurried home drenched._

_Mr. Ping was no exception even though he had his umbrella, the rain was practically pelting him as he made sure some older villagers made it back home. Weather like this could spell for falls all too easily and it did not settle well with him to think of any of his neighbors or customers taking a fall in this mess._

_After one last look both ways down his street, he hurried inside as the loud noise of rain and splashes from his own feet filled his ears._  
_He was soaked right down to his very bones, he looked out from the counter of his kitchen to see the wind was picking up. Thank the god's everyone seemed to be home, he thought to himself as he dried himself off._

_He rubbed his face into the now damp towel and breathed out as he pulled it off his face._  
_He dropped the towel._

_That was when he saw it..._

_In the windy rainstorm stood a tall figure before his shop's entrance, he hadn't even heard them walk by. It took a moment for him to realize who it was just by the color of their fur._

_"Tigress." Even as he called her name, he was already out the door with his umbrella in hand, it didn't matter that he was getting soaked again!_  
_Something was wrong._  
_They stood in the neverending rain under his small umbrella, Mr. Ping was trying to catch his breath after rushing so quickly out but it was, in fact, Master Tigress and she looked...lost._

_He reached out to the tiger without hesitation. "Tigress! Tigress are you alright? Is Po with you? Were you attacked I-" The goose stopped in his questioning after he felt something that he knew was not water or rain._

_When he pulled his wing back from the other's arm it was covered in blood, his eyes looked down upon the puddle they stood in._  
_It had specks of blood in it._  
_He shook a little when she spoke up. "You aren't smiling..."_

_Mr. Ping responded to that strange reply the best and only way he could. He took hold of the tiger's bloody paw and said. "Let's go inside before you catch a cold."_

Shifu watched as Mr. Ping filled his cup of tea. "A-Are you serious?"   
The goose looked at him as if he insulted his restaurant. "Of course I am! Why would I lie to you!"  
"I didn't mean it like that I just-she brought up smiling?" The red panda watched the goose warily, he didn't want to irritate the other with hot tea in their hands. "Why?" 

"Well..." The goose mulled it over in his head while he poured tea in his cup. "I tend to think it's because of those few times I've seen her on the roof. But I'm getting ahead of myself."

_The tiger was eerily quiet after that...moment. She followed after him up to Po's room without a word and even allowed him to patch up what he now knew was a light cut on her arm._

_He could still hear the rain pouring._

_"I'm...going to get you a towel okay?" He patted her paw softly twice with a wobbly smile. His worry for her was immense, what the hell was he supposed to do?_  
_The poor tiger looked like a mess, it wasn't until they got in and she sat on the floor did he notice her clothes looked tattered and she looked far more soaked than he was earlier and even now._  
_He made sure to give her the warmest towel he had._

_"There you go." He laid the towel over her shoulders, out of habit he picked certain ends of the towel before rubbing it on her head a little._  
_He caught himself a little too late. "Oh, I'm sorry...I usually do that for Po and..." He laughed nervously before attempting to pull away. "I do sincerely apologize Master-"_  
_His ramblings stopped when he felt her paw over his wing, he looked at it and back to her downward face about four times._

_"It's fine."_  
_The wind roared at that very moment._

_"Thank you." She was looking directly at him with her amber eyes, intrigue clear in them. "Thank you for being here."_

_It was at that moment, Mr. Ping felt something in his chest that he hadn't felt since well since he found Po right behind his shop. It wasn't pitying far from it but warmth. A warmth that was meant to be shared with those who had none in this cold world._  
_So he hugged the tiger around her neck even though she was still wet from whatever she walked from. It didn't matter in the end, she was safe with a roof over her head and that's what mattered most. "I'm always here. And you're always welcomed here."_

_Surprisingly she was quick to hug him back, it reminded him of the days when Po was little and lacked restraint in his bear hugs which only made him smile and pat her back._

_Maybe it was just a large animal thing?_

"After that she just kind of stuck with me." Mr. Ping shrugged as he finished his story, taking a sip of his tea in the light of the lantern near them. 

It had gotten dark.

"Not that I minded she's a very good and kind young lady. Took awhile for her to open up though." The goose added.  
Shifu, on the other hand, had his head in his paw mulling over the story. "I don't get it." He spoke up quietly, why was she so mysterious? Not to mention awkward. If that had happened to him, he'd have no clue how to act in response.

"There's nothing to get. She probably just had an off day. It happens."   
At this point, the red panda's hand was outstretched with his cheek out of it. "There is! Why you? Why did she walk in the rain to you instead of going straight to the palace? None of her actions make sense."   
Mr. Ping thankfully poured him some more tea. "It doesn't have to make sense for her. That's just how she is."

He swirled his cup before bringing it up to his face. "It would be nice if you elaborated..."

"Look up to the wall on your right, near the stairs." Shifu gave Ping an incredulous look before he looked up.   
He saw a large crack, that seemed to have multiple lines and rows of smaller cracks on it on the left side of the staircase wall. It looked like someone took a large hammer and hit it hard on that one spot.

Only his eyes moved from the spot to regard Ping. "Did Po do that?"   
Mr. Ping genuinely laughed at his assumption. "No, but I can't blame you for thinking he did it. It was Tigress."   
He leaned back in his chair at that. 

"Listen I'm telling the truth, I know because that crack was made purely because she was worried about me."   
"I need more tea and context for that." He pointed at the wall in question.

"I believe it was in April, I had asked her to get extra bowls from upstairs for me," He poured Shifu some more tea in his outstretched cup. "and of course some hoodlum just had to attempt to rob me at that exact moment."   
As he refilled his cup again, he smiled a little and his shoulders shook as if he was stifling a hard laugh. "He'd soon regret that." 

"You're killing me with suspension..." He deadpanned.

"Oh hush you! This large bull grabbed me by the neck, I screamed and that just triggered her stampede down my steps bashing right into that wall in the process of getting to me but it doesn't stop there." The goose had practically forgotten his cup at this point. He pointed his feather outside. "You can see the exact cracked tile in here where she launched herself like a blur at him punching him so hard I found his teeth under my tables to save me. And you want to know the first thing she said to me when she came to my side?"

"Wait what about the bull?"  
"Oh. He was unconscious don't worry about that. He was not getting up anytime soon."   
Shifu shrugged at that, he knew her punches could be devasting. "Alright go on."

"She apologized to me." Mr. Ping's giddiness disappeared so quickly as if it was vapor. "And when she saw the small damages to the wall and floor she probably told me sorry well over one hundred times." 

Shifu stayed silent at that, he wasn't sure how to respond to that. The distance between them was farther than he had even anticipated.   
"But that was when I realized she just cared alot. And she shows it the most at moments like that when she feels she's needed. Not much outside of that though so I..." Mr. Ping continued despite his partner's silence as if he was spilling thoughts he needed to air out not only for himself but the other. "I gave her a headpat and told her she did good. And that a wall and tile didn't mean more than her wellbeing. Those could be replaced." 

All of a sudden Shifu was hit with one particular memory from a month ago that he wished to erase. "A-A headpat you say?"  
"Yeah?" He watched as the goose eyed him with suspicion. "What about it?"   
"Nothing!" He spoke quickly, his voice may or may not have cracked a little. "I just feel out of the loop now is all."

Mr. Ping had the nerve to roll his eyes and swirl his cup at him and utter this unnecessary statement: "Well, you sit up there and meditate all day in a cave from what I hear, what do you expect?" 

"Leave me alone."

~An hour later~

"Dumb Goose." He muttered under his breath as he finally made it home. He had one more stop to make before he could go and meditate on everything that had transpired today.

And yes. Yes, he was still pissy about that statement Ping made.

'It wasn't true at all.' He told himself. 'I'm perfectly in tune with the universe, I have found inner peace not once but twice. I will destroy this distance!'   
He thought this and yet he still had no clue how to do it exactly. Every step he took forward to find clues in the darkness that was Master Tigress, he was only left with more questions than answers. Mr. Ping seemed to have a level of understanding of her that he didn't and that bothered him a little.   
What was he missing?

"Master Shifu." He looked up to see Tigress, just the person he was looking for. He must have really been lost in his thoughts to not notice he made it to the kitchen.   
"Good evening, Tigress. I found your papers today." He announced with a little smile as he took the scroll from his sash and placed it on the table. 

"Thank you. Here." She randomly handed him a cookie? As she opened her documents to read them  
He took the cookie from her paw. "uh, Thanks." Well, it was a nice gesture at least so there was no harm in taking a bite.

"Hey, Shifu!" Po walked in most likely to fix dinner before he stopped to look at what Tigress was doing. "What's that?"  
"My documents, my birthday is next week. Here, have a cookie." Again she abruptly gave Po a cookie too, was she just in a charitable mood?

"Don't mind if I do~" Shifu watched the panda take the cookie without hesitation. "Now I have to figure out what to get yo-"

" **MASTER SHIFU!** How could you!"   
The old master turned slowly to the kitchen entrance to see Monkey. He looked as if he was deeply betrayed and hurt.  
"Wha?"

"I would expect this from Po but not you!"  
Master Shifu looked back to Master Tigress, his daughter with no cookies near her as she sat there and looked anywhere but towards him. 

'I take my earlier statement back. She's hanging out with Po far too much!'

~

_I sort of want to be spoiled._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't wait to update this so you get two chapters in a row!  
> I actually have a few notes for this chapter unlike last time:  
> \- First, on the topic of water chestnuts! This actually wasn't entirely my own idea. I remember a few years back I read a fic that made me actually look up what they are which lead me to this video I used as a reference. It's only four minutes so I would recommend watching it: https://youtu.be/5gBAAnoltK0  
> \- Next, well I thought it'd be nice to include the song that inspired some of my writings that I use for titles and the lines in the middle this is only one of them but I tend to use them to get the feeling for a scene down: https://youtu.be/Ro1YrjDkmT8  
>   
> That's about it for the notes. Now onto the previews for Chapter 3! -  
> Hey, now's the time, to be honest:  
> "Monkey didn't say anything mean to you, did he? Even if it was intended as a joke."  
> "Not that I mind, it's a nice change."  
> "Oooh! You look so handsome in that!" 
> 
> You'll have to wait til Monday for this update. Happy holidays~!


	3. Hey, now's the time, to be honest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tigress ponders certain things while she goes about her day.

She stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, she now knew when her birthday was and quite frankly she had no clue how to feel about it.

For so long she never really paid much attention to her birthday since in the orphanage it was never celebrated much less brought up, others birthdays could be settled with polite congrats and nothing more.  
The tiger turned on her left side, head propped up by her plush.

What did she want though? From this event, from this revelation. Was it to feel more included in the events around her?

The master huffed before pulling herself up and off her bed, plush in hand before she headed for Po's room.  
'I'm getting nowhere on my own.' Tigress thought as she slid open Po's door, closed it and plopped herself right beside the snoring panda.  
Another huff escaped the tiger as she hugged her plush close, she never really liked talking like this, being open and vulnerable but it had to be done...and Mr. Ping told her to trust her teammates more often.

Tigress poked the panda's head and his reaction was immediate.  
"Huh? Wha...oh." The dragon warrior woke with a slight start before he registered who was there. "Can't sleep?" He simply asked as he turned his head in her direction, looking like he'd just fallen down the thousand steps.  
She only nodded in response.

After that, it was the usual silence they were both used too at this point. Po made a few noises as he stretched and propped himself on his elbows.   
To think someone like him could be patient.

"Monkey didn't say anything mean to you, did he? Even if it was intended as a joke."   
"No." She shook her head and decided they had both waited long enough. "I don't know why I'm feeling or what it is. If that makes sense."   
"Yeah, that makes sense." He was sitting up with her at this point, looking at the door absentmindedly. "Sometimes they just pop up without warning and it's super overwhelming." He caught himself yawning after that.

Tigress squinted at the panda, his short and vague explanations always meant it was going to be a long conversation...  
Po patted her shoulder softly. "How about we take this conversation to the kitchen some warm milk should make you feel better?"  
"You just want a late-night snack." She stated without any hesitation.  
"That doesn't disregard the fact it may make you feel better though!"

Po was a terrible liar.

She sat in her usual spot at the table with her Shifu plush still in hand, it supported her chin at this late hour. It didn't take Po long to make snacks and warm milk for both of them.  
He stirred her milk a bit more before placing it on the table. "So if you don't know how you feel then what were you thinking before you came to see me?"  
"About my birthday and..." She listened to the clink of the spoon in the cup and the soft noise the cup made when he slid it towards her. "Well, Shifu asked me if I loved picking water chestnuts."

Po hummed a bit before he started stirring his own. "Not too sure about the first one but Shifu probably just said that to get to know you better. Do you not like it?"  
She shook her head at that. "No I-I like doing it with Mr. Ping and you than doing it on my own. I don't think that counts as liking it much less loving it."   
"I think it counts."   
Despite the fact she was sipping her drink, she gave him a small signal to go on.  
"I mean as long as you enjoy it, that counts as liking it. And you just admitted to liking it anyways so I don't see the issue." He spoke with a bean bun in his paw, moving it to and fro before eating it.

"You don't have to go full expert on everything you like to do." Another dumpling was devoured.   
Tigress gave him a disbelieving face. "You are an expert at almost everything you like." 

Po's snack was all but forgotten when he put his paws up to attempt to stop her with that statement. "That's not what I meant! I mean you're right but...all the things I'm an expert of now started as hobbies or part-time work to help my dad out and it took me years to become what I am today."   
She took one of his bean buns. "I really don't know where you're going with this, Po."   
"Okay okay listen, Ti." Now the panda was wide awake in attempting to word his next response well. "When I got into Kung Fu, I was still a cook in training and a waiter. I wasn't an expert yet and didn't know all the greatest names in Kung Fu history from the get go but I still loved it to bits! Because it made me happy just learning a whole bunch of new things!" 

He looked so jolly after his explanation, his movements were wild and quite frankly he sounded nostalgic. She couldn't help but smile a little while eating her snack.  
Po's stomach rumbled reminding him of his plate, he popped one bean bun away. "I mean I'm sure you had a hobby when you were little right?"   
The Master Tigress at that very moment paused during her chewing, she knew Po was looking at her waiting for her to say: 'Yeah, of course, I did you silly panda!' and then laugh like two normal adults would during nights like this.

None of that transpired.

When she gulped it sounded loud as if everyone in the palace could hear her. "Uh..." Her amber eyes looked away from Po and to her very interesting half-full cup of milk.  
"You know drawing counts..." Po attempted to offer her but she had to shoot him down on that with a shake of her head. "What about reading?"  
"I didn't learn how to properly read until I was brought here." 

And before she knew it that bean bun was gone... "Kung fu is my life. It's all I'm good at." There it was. The cold feeling and thought that refused to surface. Acceptance of what she's known from the beginning.  
This paw before her eyes was proof of that.

"No, you're not. Your good at other things and with time you'll get better at them." It was then Po surprisingly gave her his last bean bun. He never did that!  
The Tiger was practically slumped in her chair at that point. "How can you be so sure?"   
"Because I believe in you!" The panda beamed, giving her those ridiculous finger guns of his.  
No, she was not smirking at all.

She took a bite of the bun and for once didn't mind herself to speak when she finished. "You...believe in everybody, you optimist."   
Po looked as if he was about to argue against what she just said but then visibly deflated. "Okay okay, you have a point. As per usual...BUT-" He lifted one claw upward. "I know because even now, you're experiencing a whole bunch of new things and those are making you into an even better YOU! And you don't even notice it! It's like..." He paused for an effect no one would except herself would witness. "Your awesome dragon scroll of growth!" 

Tigress just watched the over-animated panda move his paws this way and that way as he continued. "And in the future even if you want to do something besides Kung fu, know that I and the others will still be here to support you no matter what."   
"No, you wouldn't you especially would be disappointed if I ever quit for something else." She finished the last of her bun with that. This felt far from what she wanted to talk about but it may just be the fact it was late?

"Of course I'd be sad." Po scratched the back of his head, sighing. Maybe the night was catching up with him too. "But what I feel isn't a priority, if it makes you happy then I'll support you through it because you're my friend." 

For once Tigress didn't have a reply or question at the ready for that. She just sat there and blinked a few times before doing what any reasonable adult would do at that moment: "We should go back to bed it's getting late."   
"Aw man, you're right...Can I hope Shifu will magically disappear again for awhile?" 

After cleaning up the dishes and wiping off the table they left for their rooms.  
Po was about to step into his room until he noticed she was still behind him.   
She could practically hear him raise his brow. "I'm guessing you're not sleeping in your room tonight?"  
"Nope."   
"Come on." He motioned for her to go in.

~

It was so close to the afternoon! She could feel it!!  
Her tail twitched and swished this way and that way as she punched, broke, and knocked out various wooden warriors.  
"Hiyah!" Her excitement for the afternoon burst through her furious kick that shattered wood and metal alike to pieces! The tiger's thoughts echoed with how she just couldn't wait for the afternoon.

The best part of the day!

She flipped over the obstacle coming down hard on the ground preparing for a built-up strike. 'Soon.' Tigress thought as she sprinted towards her target.   
Soon. Shifu would tell them training was over and they could leave.  
Her palm strike made the poor target practically explode!

"Woah." The tiger's ears perked to her left to see Crane, stopping in the middle of his motions to watch her. "That was impressive Tigress. I've never seen you so energetic."  
"Thank you, I'm...just focused today." She stepped towards the avian, taking a similar stance beside him. A little Tai Chi could do her some good. 

He leads the movements, wide, slow, and graceful motions only a bird as himself could perform. "Well, that's good. I've been worrying about you a little bit."  
Her movements were stilted a little at that comment but she recovered back into the rhythm with her companion. "Why? Have I done something strange?"  
Have I changed?

"Oh no!" He spoke up, his hat tilting back in the process. "It was just a feeling, probably just me getting older."   
"You're not that old Crane."   
"Ugh...I feel like it though." He chuckled as they made a slight turn. "Although...you never did use to join me like this now that I think about it."   
With one last forward movement, they stopped synchronizing as they came to a standstill side by side. The thought of her 'dragon scroll of growth' came up at that very moment. Maybe it had some merit to it? 

In a way Crane was right, she never really spent too much time with him or any of the five. They all just felt so far away and their interests outside of Kung fu was just too much for her to process.

"Not that I mind, it's a nice change."   
Tigress finally looked up to Crane, noticing how calm he looked. "I agree."

"Students," Shifu spoke up for all to hear.

The afternoon was finally here and yet she didn't want this morning moment to end.

~

_Have some confidence! The whole town will surely be your runway!_

~

Soon after they were dismissed from the training hall, she was already halfway down the steps.  
The tiger hopped down the last steps, heading straight for her usual route towards the noodle shop.  
This afternoon, she would go supply shopping with Mr. Ping!

He usually went shopping to resupply once a month for things he couldn't get via delivery. Sometimes he would go twice if the business was doing better than expected. Although there was one problem, Mr. Ping was easily distracted by household things he tended to need but would think of last while he was out.  
Last month, they came back with a carpet.

When she entered as expected the shop was empty, the only sounds coming from the kitchen as the owner prepared for his outing.  
"Afternoon, Mr. Ping."  
"Oh, Tigress!" The old Goose came up to the counter to see her better. "Afternoon. Is Po not with you?" Before she could even answer he was already looking around for his son.  
"No not today. He had to stay behind for a few extra lessons." 

She watched the goose move to pick up his bag and exit out the kitchen. "That's fine. We'll be enough for today. How was your training today anyway?" He was already waddling off to the entrance, key out to lock his doors.  
She was about to follow him before she noticed a familiar sight. "Don't forget your coin purse." Tigress picked up the brown bag off the counter as she exited the shop with it.  
"My goodness! What would I do without you." 

With the doors securely locked they were off to the market. "Also, it was fine today. I did Tai Chi with Crane actually, it was nice."  
They walked down the street side by side the casual conversation carrying her calmly through it. Being out and about like this wasn't usually her forte but with Mr. Ping and the others, she could generally tolerate it. Even the looks some villages gave her couldn't make her leave his side. 

She felt him gingerly pat her arm. "See? I told you it wasn't scary. You all fight and train so much together, talking should be easy." The crowd grew bigger and louder as they entered the market.  
"Although I can understand Crane's feeling..." He shuffled through his bag and pulled another one out for her to carry.  
"How so?"

Mr. Ping hummed as he looked upon the vegetables before him. Most likely wondering if extras would be needed or not. "Well, how do I put it? When you've been around someone for a long time you notice little things about them..." He inspected an onion on the rack. "...and when they start to move away from certain habits or gain new ones, you start to feel all that time that passed. Makes you feel old." She held every bit of produce he handed her while he spoke.   
"I'm guessing that's how Po makes you feel?" Her eyes briefly looked upon an apple. They looked sweet.

"You'd be right. But no matter what he'll still be my little Po." Mr. Ping paused before they moved to the front, going straight for the apples. "Do you want one? Go ahead and get one. I know you love those."  
She'd never get used to how perceptive and blunt he could be.

After that, it was off to the usual merchants who usually sold him spices at 'decent prices' by his word. She didn't say much at this part of the trip, she only listened to the lively conversations and took in all the unique smells of this part of the market. It was why she loved coming here with Mr. Ping, she felt like she had a reason outside of patrolling to be here and take up space in this small world.

**Crunch.**

Tigress took a bite of her apple as they sat and took a break at one of the nearby benches.  
Mr. Ping hummed as he looked through there bags to make sure they had everything they needed before heading home.

Amber eyes couldn't help but scan the area, the market was an easy target for pickpocketers of all kinds. She'd picked the stolen money from the thieves' pockets and put it right back where they came from in the past. Not every good deed needed to be a spectacle in her opinion.  
But today she didn't see a thief or lost child amongst the crowd instead she saw something that intrigued her. 

It was a Changshan, a black one at that with such intricate design she wasn't sure what to look at! It quite literally covered the whole thing! Usually, clothes never interested her much alot of what other people picked out were so heavy in accessories or mere cloth and far too bright for her tastes.   
But this, this was fine.

"Ah, that's that new clothes store I've heard about." Mr. Ping piped up beside her. "Po does need some new clothes what with Autumn being right around the corner...maybe we should take a look before heading back?"   
Had she been staring that intensively at it? 

She tossed her apple core in a nearby can. "Okay."  
When they entered the shop they met a new face, the owner was some type of monkey with a snubbed nose. Mr. Ping was quick to compliment their bright orange fur around their head yet the rest of their body was light brown, not many had that type of contrast of colors in their coats.   
She wondered how the old man could stand such attention?

"So you are from the mountains?" She caught the tail end of their conversation while she looked through interesting and rather extravagant lengths of silk with flower patterns on them.   
"Yes, I never once thought of leaving until I found myself with so many large animals as customers coming up and down the paths just for my work. There doesn't seem to be many designers for them." The old man snickered. "Who am I to not jump on an opportunity?" 

He really reminded her of Monkey, almost like an older version of him in the future. Especially with that mischievous smile of his.  
Soon the two old men's conversation moved to Po and if he could make clothes for a Panda, that was when she let her mind and eyes wander.

Wander back to that Changshan so to speak.

It was outside as a display, most likely to show off his skills as a designer. It would no doubt catch the attention of large animals like herself, you would rarely see such a long and wide type of clothing in the streets.   
Such a thing was unthinkable in this small world.

"Do you like that Tigress?" She turned to see Mr. Ping with even more clothes in hand than he did mere moments ago at the counter.  
"Well...yeah it looks very nice." But the thought of picking out clothes herself was rather foreign to her. She never knew if she was picking the right thing. "But I don't know if I should get it."   
"Then you should try it out. I'm sure you'd look nice in it. How about it Mister Ying?"

The old man was already off to retrieve it, sliding right off his high up chair. "I'll get it, there's a changing room in the back."   
Everything went by so fast.

No. No, she would never get used to these surprise parts of their outings. 

When she pulled the curtain, she felt like a new person. When she held the shirt before herself it almost looked too long, it kind of was but wasn't. The bottom of it went to her knees and the sleeves covered her paws, and she could put them together as Master Shifu could in his robe.  
It kind of made her feel more mature.

"Oooh! You look so handsome in that!" Mr. Ping was gushing without restraint but for some reason, she didn't mind it much. Especially when she looked in the mirror to the side, she liked how it looked on her.   
She liked the sound of handsome!

"I think I'll buy it." The tiger smiled while moving her arms a little more. She really loved the long sleeves.  
"No, I'll get it for you. Since your birthday is soon and all. And besides, you deserve it." Tigress turned around fully to see the goose smiling wide at her, a similar calmness that reminded her of Crane this morning.

For some reason, she didn't have the heart to tell him no.

The afternoon was coming to an end, the sky was already changing colors from blue to orange. The crowds had diminished to only a few stranglers left doing some late shopping.   
It was peaceful.

Tigress gripped the bag with her gift tightly in her paws. She felt happy, so light. It felt too good to be true and yet here she was beside Mr. Ping shopping and heading home of all things as normal people do.  
Something she always thought was out of her reach.

"Mr. Ping?"

He was fiddling with his keys as they neared his shop. "Yes?"  
Her pace slowed a little, hesitation. The sight of a family heading inside their home caught her attention for a moment. "I know what I want most for my birthday."

She took a bag he was handing to her whilst he opened the doors of his shop. "And what's that?"  
Could she attain such normalcy? Could she keep it? These questions ran through her mind as the doors creaked open. What if her path in life could lead outside of Kung fu? 

"A name." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy early new year!  
> Onto the notes because we have quite a few this time around!:  
> \- First off, Mr. Ying is based off a "snub-nosed monkey". I was mostly looking for indigenous animals in china for the character but then I found pictures of this animal, there so intriguing and honestly beautiful aswell. As for his name well, I remember picking it because I assumed it meant "comply" but it actually has quite a few definitions from what I found on google.  
> \- I actually read up as much as I could about Chinese fashion for this part, I wanted something fitting for Tigress that wasn't just her KFP3 outfit despite the fact I like it alot. So I decided to go with a Changshan since she's wearing a gold Hanfu in that. The reason isn't that intricate since I only picked it because there's a real cool picture of a bunch of people wearing them and I sort of become enthralled by it.  
> \- The pickpocket part was mostly taken from KFPLOA, (Ep title: Po picks a pocket!) I know its not a great show but really how is finding out Master Tigress can in fact pickpocket not cool! Its awesome and I'm keeping it.  
> \- This is more a fun fact but I used to do tai chi in high school so I know a lil bit.  
> Now onto the previews:  
> Chapter 4 - : I'll change as I please:  
> "Hey, Crane don't ya think she looks fly?"  
> "Wow. This sure brings back memories. And it's so cool~"  
> "I think I'll get you for my daughter."  
> ~  
> I was going to say I won't update this til after new years but knowing me I'll get impatient...


	4. I'll change as I please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shifu takes a different approach to his problems leading him to an unlikely solution.

Shifu sat at the edge of his bed. 'Two more days until her birthday.' He thought to himself as he pushed himself off his bed, there was no time to dilly dally the first rays of the sun were reaching the new day.

And he had to greet his students.  
He paused halfway to his dresser. "Students." He repeated to himself quietly.

For some reason, he didn't feel entirely there today.

He walked through the palace's halls quietly, the only sound that echoed was the tap of his staff and the few servants going about their morning routines.  
He stopped and stood still in front of the rooms, listening to snores and mumbling alike. When he looked towards Tigress's door, there was of course silence since she was a very quiet sleeper. It was then he was reminded of Mr. Ping's story.

Was all she wanted was a smile?

He pulled the small gong from its standard spot to his side right in the middle of the dorm's entrance.   
Did he really want to do this? It was kind of embarrassing but it was a start. And even then he endured a whole day of smiling so a few seconds shouldn't be too bad...

The sound of the gong resounded throughout the whole room, rousing most awake. Albeit one persistent panda.  
He watched as one after another his students came out of there rooms, a small smile playing at his lips.  
But someone was missing. Well technically two, but Po didn't count. That was expected at least!

Only his blue eyes looked upon her door, smile faltering as he did. He couldn't even bother to look at his other students who no doubt was also confused by this turn of events.  
"Sorry I was late. I promise I'll get up earlier!" Po burst out of his room with his blanket on his head.  
Meanwhile, he was too busy trying to calm his overactive brain.

What if she was sick? What if she was hurt? Kidnapped!? Oh no. No. What. What if she...  
What if she ran off to go live with that GOOSE?

After a mere minute, her door opened. "Good morning Master."  
When the tiger stepped out, he watched her pat her black changshan that he'd never seen before.   
The poor old master blanked at the sudden change.

He heard Po throw something back in his room, most likely the blanket. "Woah Ti you look awesome! Did you get that in the market with my dad yesterday?"   
"Black does suit you." Viper complimented. "And the design is simply to die for."

What was happening?

"T-Thanks." Tigress put her paws together and into her sleeves. "And yes Mr. Ping got it for me as a present."

Why is this happening?

Mantis chuckled for some reason. "Hey, Crane don't ya think she looks fly?"   
"God Mantis..." Monkey mumbled.   
"That pun was awful but yes I think you look great. Makes you look sharp." Crane commented. 

"Man I wish I could have gone...hey Shifu..." The panda looked towards the still almost sweaty red panda. He felt so sweaty. "You alright?"   
He moved the mallet quickly behind his back to look as professional as possible, even if he felt like trash. "Huh? Oh Yes. Good morning everyone!" 

It was then in the silence of the dorm, Master Shifu realized his mistake.  
Students.

Good morning Students.

He pushed the gong back in its place to the side. "I will see you all in the training hall after breakfast." He stated as firmly as he could.  
"Wait, we're not going straight to the hall today?" Monkey asked with a tilt of his body towards him.  
The old master has already turned around, mallet still in his paws. "No, I have other plans for today."

Like sulking in the hall of heroes with this mallet till he absolutely had to leave.

~

Training had gone surprisingly well today after his mistake. He knew it wasn't a big deal but still, it bothered him. He shouldn't have let that conversation go on at that time and yet...

Tigress looked happy albeit shyly. 

Soon, his feet touched warm grass, the feeling healed his tired soul already knowing where this would lead him.  
He saw the way she patted her shirt on the sides self-consciously, it was clear as day that she picked that out herself.   
With Mr. Ping.

The old master paused in his ascent towards the peach tree. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised, they'd never really gone shopping much less for clothes together. Their process was, he'd write down specifics on her training attire and she would take the note down to the tailor while getting the proper measurements. Then, she would come back, that was it. 

He turned around and made his way to the Moon pool.   
This felt like the plush incident all over again except with less torture on his body and pride.   
Tigress had changed so much in such a short time...

Wait.  
Shifu stopped again on his way up the stairs with a clear frown on his face. Change is what helped her in the beginning so why was he so against it? He should be celebrating this step forward.

The large doors creaked loudly under his hand.  
To his surprise, the panda was there near the pool meditating, or trying to was probably a better way of describing it.  
He placed his staff down before sitting beside him, making himself comfortable on the cool floor of this sacred place. 'So this was why he was here instead of outside.'

Understandable.

"Afternoon Master," Po spoke up after a moment of silence between the two.   
His ear twitched to left. "Afternoon Po." And with their greetings done they both fell into silence only the slightest of hums escaped the two kung fu fighters and echoed throughout the building.

Now he lost track of what he was thinking of. The red panda breathed out, clearing his mind so he could think and try to solve his 'issue'.   
'Ah. Yes, change. Change in regards to Tigress.' There we go. Now he was back on track. Now to pinpoint why his reactions were so strong lately. In a way, he knew but fatherly love did not excuse these types of feelings. Especially towards his friend, Mr. Ping. Knowing the goose he was only doing what he felt was right for her.  
As he should have.

"Hey, Master Shifu?"  
He kept his eyes closed, trying not to sound annoyed. "Yes, Po?"  
He failed.  
Shifu could hear the panda shift for a few moments before answering him. 

"I know you don't like being bothered during meditation but...I and everyone else have been worried about you!"   
What?   
The master finally opened his eyes to look at the panda beside him with a confused expression. "Wha-"

"Wait!" The panda interrupted him with a raise of his paw. "Look Crane told me when it starts getting cold people can tend to get sad and depressed and I just-I just want you to know..." Po placed his big paw firmly on his back. "I'm here for you."   
Okay.  
"And know that you're super loved by everybody here and we all would miss you if you went away."  
Today was weird.

"A-And you know you can talk to me or Crane even my dad if you ever get too down you know! Just because you're the Grand master doesn't mean you HAVE to be alone!"  
Also, it was nowhere near cold yet you could probably fry an egg outside today!  
Shifu sat there looking up at the panda for a good, long moment. "Po. I'm not depressed." He shuffled his paws in his sleeves. "But I appreciate your kindness." 

The panda gave a relieved sigh before patting him on the back one last time. He probably would have fallen over if he wasn't already used to his rowdiness.   
"Well, that's good." Po had a content smile on his face and he couldn't help but shake his head slightly at the jolly panda.  
He may be childish, a tad bit annoying but his love and care were true to the end. That was a fact.

"Why were you all worrying about me?" He couldn't help but ask, was his hesitance and uncertainty that clear?  
"Weeelll..." The panda stretched out that poor word. "I may have exaggerated the 'everyone' bit but they do wonder if you're okay lately. I mean-" Po's paw found it's way to the back of his head, slightly scratching it. "You do alot of work for the palace as grand master and I know it's not easy to juggle what with you and Tigress trying to rebuild your relationship too."  
"Basically you are saying things are changing quite a bit for me?" He interjected.

Po snapped his fingers his way. "Yeah!"   
He chuckled. Only mere moments ago was he worrying about change for his daughter and yet here he was acknowledging it for himself. All because Po assumed he was depressed of all things.  
"What's so funny?"   
You know what? Shifu stood up leaving his staff at the edge of the pool. He wasn't going to meditate more because that wasn't getting him anywhere. "Me and my life." 

He sat and laid right on his back on the floor with a content sigh. It was so cool and comfy.   
He may never get back up.  
The panda soon followed him, copying his master. "Wow. This sure brings back memories. And it's so cool~"  
Shifu only hummed in agreement, feeling lax and quite frankly at peace for the time. To think such a simple thing would make him feel better.   
"It does, doesn't it. This was the place you helped me make a big change in my life." Where he found inner peace for the first time.

"Yeah, I can barely believe that was, what? Two years ago?"  
"Three years ago."   
The panda shifted on his side, looking straight at him with an 'o' expression. "There's no way that was three whole years ago!"  
Shifu only turned his head to regard Po. "Yes, it was. I would never forget that day..."

_'This is what you trained us for!'_

The memory hit him like a raging bull. Why? Why was he remembering that now?  
He shifted on his side along with Po, paw holding his cheek. "Do you know what I train you for?"

The dragon warrior's eyes widened. "Uhh is this a test?"   
"No, just a question."  
"Oh okay." Po hummed to himself in thought, looking upward. "I guess to be the masters we want to be. And to also continue teaching others the art, right?"  
Shifu made a slight mmm sound at that. "Interesting."

What type of master did Tigress want to be? What did she want in life?

"Oh. Is this a student teaching the master something moment?" Po started beaming with giddiness.   
Yeah, it was time to go.  
"You could say that." He lifted himself upward, stretching his arms a bit before standing up.   
_'Well, you sit up there and meditate all day in a cave from what I hear, what do you expect?'_  
He'd prove that goose wrong right now!

"I'm going out for a bit." He announced before going off to get his staff.   
"Can I come!?"  
"Nope." He was already halfway to the door, head held high with a new determination he didn't know he had. The panda had once again inspired him to do more for the people around him. "Unlike me, you need to work on your meditation and patience, Dragon Warrior." 

He could hear disappointed panda noises even with the doors closed. 

~

"Zeng," Shifu called for the messenger calmly as he stood before the gates of the Jade Palace. The Bird was quick to fly to his side, ever the hard worker.  
"Yes, Master Shifu?" For once he didn't sound like he was out of breath and in a rush.  
The red panda paused as he reached in his robe as if to contemplate his decision before handing the avian the scroll.

"I have a job for you." 

~

He kind of felt foolish walking out of the palace and down the stairs as if he had any clue of what to do first.  
He ended up walking around aimlessly looking towards anything for inspiration. 

The old master's plan was simple: Get Tigress a nice gift to soften the blow of his "true gift".   
His ears flattened against his head while he walked past a group of children playing catch. He wasn't looking forward to that conversation with Mr. Ping but it had to be done.  
He had to do this.

Shifu stopped to regard the market before him, it was as crowded as usual and noisy too. If it weren't for years of discipline and training he would have probably cowered away from it all.  
'What would Tigress even want?' He was sourly reminded of the fact he knew next to nothing about her still! He knew he couldn't get her any type of weapon or training equipment or Mr. Ping, himself would strike him down with his spoon or worse...  
His pan.

Without mercy.

Shifu walked past many different shops, clothes shops but most were meant for smaller animals like himself. Nothing for Tigress. Some merchants had some nice looking jewelry especially rings and bracelets but his hesitation won out when he recalled the fact she had never even worn a necklace or at least one he knew of.

One lady had even recommended him a dress for his gift. He already knew that was a no.

After a few more hours of looking around and bowing to those respectful enough to bow to him, he sat on a bench. Tired and a little hungry...  
What did you get someone you barely knew?  
'Wait a minute. I'm focusing on things I don't know but I'm sure I can piece something together from what I do know?' He stroked his beard in thought, relaxing his muscles and breathing calmly.   
Tigress liked: spending time with Mr. Ping and himself, Training, and moving around in general. Cooking maybe but that was debatable. Water chestnuts. That plush of himself...

The plush! 

He slid off the bench and off to the nearby toy shop with lightning-fast speed!

Shifu stood before the toy shop and its large silly sign, there was a white bunny with a large smile and a wink on its face beside the text. It was painted so colorfully, it barely matched its surroundings but it did suit a place for children.  
It looked so ridiculous and yet here he was willing to get his child something she liked from there.  
Is this how parents usually felt?

A bell rang as soon as he entered the shop, his eyes couldn't help but wander around, there were so many kinds of toys in here. And even then he hadn't been to these types of places in years, he never needed to come here when he had Tai Lung anything and everything was a toy to him. 

"Good Afternoon and welcome-" A small gasp escaped the elderly bunny at the counter as she looked upon his form. "Oh. Oh, Master Shifu how can I help you!?"   
"Well..." He hesitated after the reaction, was he that absent from the outside world that people would react with such shock. What did they think he was dead up there!? "If you could tell me where you have your plush toys, that would be all I need." 

"If you go straight down..." The bunny pointed him in the direction he needed to go. "...then go left. You'll see a whole shelf of them. If you need anything else Master just call me." Her paw was still pointing left as she smiled at him.  
"Thank you and I will." 

While he walked exactly where she told him too, he couldn't help but look at the other shelves: There were action figures, Po would have a field day in here. He spotted all types of balls of varying sizes and designs, he even picked up a rather pretty blue ball that he thought Tigress might like. She would be good at sports no doubt.  
Turning left he found a wall of play instruments from small triangles to drums, he knew Crane, Viper and Monkey loved music but what kind of music did Tigress like? Maybe his flute counted.

Walking further left finally lead him to the shelves of plush toys.  
There were so many of them!  
From small bunnies in all sorts of attire to rhinos and even otters, they had them all! His claw tapped his face as he looked upon them all, which one would Tigress even like?  
Maybe this fish looking one? No. He sat the goldfish back down with a shake of his head before picking through the rest. 

At some point, he'd even found a snake that looked almost like Viper, the only difference was it had a ribbon around its little neck.  
"ugh." Shifu made an exasperated noise, he felt like giving up as he leaned against the shelf. He was about to turn to allow himself to put aside his pride and ask the kind bunny for assistance until something caught his eye in the back of the shelf.

"What is that?" The red panda had to push aside quite a few toys to get to it since all he could see was an ear that looked like a feline. He hadn't seen not one feline plush in there entire assortment.  
He was practically on his tippy toes to reach it, but he finally caught it's leg and pulled it out.  
What he saw was a surprise, to say the least. 

He held up the toy from under its arms. It was a tiger plush, a little dusty and it looked kind of old but it was rather cute. Unlike the other plushies on the shelf, the poor thing had no clothes not even a ribbon like the snake plush he found earlier.   
Shifu patted the little tiger off to dispel some dust, its fur felt soft and fuzzy it reminded him of Tigress with a smile as a bonus.   
"I think I'll get you for my daughter." He gave one last pat to the tiger's head before heading back to the front.

As he walked back he remembered a conversation he had with Crane one rainy evening.   
He simply asked what he was reading and turns out it was a scroll on child development, he said he picked it up while on a mission. Apparently, he really liked the author's work.   
He was still wondering if Crane was planning on having a kid or not.   
Hopefully not yet.

_'It's important for children to see themselves reflected in their toys. It can also help with the development of their identity.'_

He wondered if that was true or if it was just a theory? It would be nice to think this plush could help Tigress feel just a bit better about herself. And it'd be better to see her walking around with this instead of the plush version of himself, sadly carrying that thing around became a habit of hers.   
The old red panda stopped by the section of toy balls, deciding to add the blue ball he picked up earlier to his purchase. It was a special occasion after all.

"Did you find everything you need Master Shifu?" The small bunny was right where he had left her. It almost seemed like she waiting for him.  
He supposed that was good service.  
"Yes, I did." He chuckled a little as he placed the plush and ball on the counter, already reaching for his coin purse. "And a little more." He added.

"Well, that's good. That'll be 35 yuan."  
Shifu handed her the money before a thought came to his mind. "Do you mind putting a ribbon around the tiger's neck?"  
The bunny just continued smiling at him, as she started to rummage through a drawer on her right. "Sure, do you want a specific color?"  
"Blue if you have it." He wasn't sure why he was so fixed on that color today but it just felt right. And even if Tigress didn't like it she could take it off whenever she wanted.   
She pulled out a small roll and presented it to him. "Will light blue do?" 

He wanted a darker blue at first but the light blue seemed alright so he nodded. "How much will that cost?"   
"Oh don't worry about it." After she cut a certain amount of ribbon off the roll, she was quick to tie it around the neck of the toy with what he could only call years of practice and expertise, the ribbon hung from the back of its head.

It was adorable.

"It's free of charge for you Master Shifu." The elderly bunny gave him a wink as soon as his things were in a bag for him to take.  
"Um Thank...you..." Shifu spoke slowly as he took his bag of items and prepared to leave.  
"Don't hesitate to come back now."   
The ring of the bell chimed again as he left.

Maybe he was just getting old and maybe paranoid but did he just get hit on in a toy store!?

~

_Why are precious dreams not sold anywhere?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it to 2020!  
> I actually don't have alot in regards to notes for this one, as much as I tend to like doing research I just let this one flow considering its partial setup for the next chapter since we're nearly finished with the main story!  
> ~  
> Previews for Chapter 5: Believe in the future that's floating in our hearts:  
> "I have to, I have to finish what I started all those years ago."  
> "Will that make you happy?"  
> "I lied to you."  
> "Maybe I should have told him."  
> ~  
> This is going to be a long one. It will focus on all three of our main cast on the final day before it all comes to a close.


	5. Believe in the future that's floating in our hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you have to let go in order to move forward.

Alright, part one of his plan was done! 

Shifu was now walking to the noodle shop with his gift bag in hand, now it was time for the hard part.   
His "real gift" was still technically in the works and truth be told he still wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing so...he hoped to find reassurance and hopefully understanding.

Here he was again, in front of the noodle shop well into the evening. 

The last customer passed by him as he entered the establishment, he could hear Mr. Ping tell them goodbye from the kitchen.   
The old master cleared his throat when he reached the counter. "Evening, Ping. Is Tigress here?"  
"Shifu?" The goose finally turned around from cleaning dishes. "No, you just missed her about an hour ago." A plate clanked against the surface as he finished drying one. "Come on in, you don't have to stand out there."

He gulped before walking into the kitchen, taking a seat in the stool the old goose usually left to the side. He wrapped his arms around the bag that held the gifts for Tigress.  
His daughter.

"Ping? I need to ask you to do something for me." He spoke softly, all that determination from earlier withered away as his eyes met the floor. "It's important."  
Mr. Ping paused, watching the red panda and breathed slowly. "Alright." He could hear the goose's voice tremble just a little.  
This was going to be hard.

"I know this is sudden but I-I want you to adopt Tigress for her birthday."

The bag crinkled under his grasp. It sounded so loud to his ears.

The silence after he admitted what he wanted to do was awful. Mr. Ping was most likely judging him now, most likely saw him as a coward.  
He wouldn't entirely be wrong there.

"Why?" The goose set aside his dishes and rag and walked towards him. "Look at me and tell me why!"  
"Because..." Shifu hesitated, holding the bag as if it could protect him from his own bubbling emotions. "Because you've done so much for her in such a short period. And yet here I am still stuck in the past." He finally pulled his gaze from the floor and to the shocked face of Mr. Ping. "I need to do this for her!"

**Slap!**

"Are you out of your **damn** mind!? She loves you, looks up to you! And now your just...just..." He should have avoided that but he didn't, he just sat there face slightly tilted. A sting was present on his cheek to remind him of his decision.  
"...just giving up on her after all this time! Just because she spends time with me doesn't mean I'm some perfect parent who can fix everything, you idiot!"

He dropped the bag as soon as Mr. Ping started to angrily shout at him. "That's the problem. She wants to be just like me and not herself. I've failed her in that aspect."   
He wondered if she even knew who she was?  
Deep down the goose knew he was right, he watched the wing that had just slapped him tremble as its owner battled with his own thoughts.

"Don't do this to her on her birthday Shifu, please. She'll be so heartbroken..."   
There was no going back now. He knew this.

"I have to, I have to finish what I started all those years ago." He took that wing into his paw, bringing it down to place his left paw over it. "No matter when I do this, it will hurt her regardless. It's one last scar I can leave on her heart. But she deserves a family, one that she's happy with. Like you."   
Mr. Ping looked like he was going to cry, his head swayed in different directions. Had he thought about it too?

"Shifu." Mr. Ping started quietly, it was so unusual to hear the others voice this low. "Is this what you honestly want for her?"

For some reason, the answer didn't come to him quickly. Was it what he wanted for her? All he thought about was her happiness, her future and most of all her wellbeing. He'd seen firsthand how Mr. Ping along with Po had impacted her so positively, there was no mistake about it she was comfortable around them. Far more than she was around him.   
He couldn't give her what she needed most.

Shifu stood with Ping's wing still in his paws. "Yes." Tears began to fall as the realization hit him again just as it did last month. "I wasn't ready to take care of another child, so I treated her like a student and now I can't differentiate from that mindset. I don't even think she can either sometimes...Everything is so private between us." His shoulders shook as the tears continued to fall. "She's hurt herself for me. So many times, a daughter shouldn't have to do that. But now I-I have a chance to do something as a father for her so that she can be happy...even if it's without me." 

He coughed a few times before he had to sniffle, his face felt soaked. They just wouldn't stop now.  
"This isn't for me or my pride but her! So she can become what she wants to be in life so that she can have a choice in this world! So she can be the best Tigress she can be."  
That was it, he hit his breaking point and just cried while holding Mr. Ping's wing for comfort. He cried for all the nights she went to bed alone feeling unloved, for all the time he had wasted of her precious life and most of all for hurting her so.

Mr. Ping took his wing from his grasp slowly and embraced him.  
He didn't deserve it but hell if he wasn't going to lean into it with all the crying he was doing.

Shifu could feel the goose's chest move up and down as he breathed in and out before speaking to him. "Fine."   
With a few firm pats on his back and a very comfortable shoulder, Shifu calmed down just a bit. 

"But you are helping me pick out our daughter's name."

A name?

~

_Two days ago._

"Tigress, dear you already have a name."

No. No, she did not.

She held the bags as they walked to the kitchen. "Mr. Ping, I don't have a name..." The tiger sat the bags upon the counter, so he could get to their contents easier. "Tigress is only a label for someone like me."   
There is no one like me.

She stood there as still as a statue in the glow of the evening.  
 _Orange._

Mr. Ping didn't go into the kitchen though, he just stood there, her shadow covering him and looked at her. "It's not just a label, at least I don't think so. It's your name, a name people respect and even then I'm not your father-"

"The other's have names," Tigress spoke abruptly as if she couldn't contain the statement. "They all have names that express their individuality and have loved ones who can only call them by such" She paused turning to the goose, kneeling before him.   
"I want that." 

Her amber eyes watched the goose contemplate his next move, his eyes moved left to right, his beak opened and closed without a sound.  
At first, she thought he was unnerved by her closeness but they had established their boundaries months ago, he was hesitating. Concerned even. For her.

"Will that make you happy?" Mr. Ping started, finally looking her in the eye just as he did that day. That day when she was upon the rooftops, staying out of sight until by pure coincidence a noodle shop owner looked at her with kind eyes and a warm smile. And waved at her.  
"If I gave you a name?"

She embraced the goose, it was so easy to just lean on him. So comforting and warm.   
"Yes." She was not Tigress here. "When I come here I want Tigress to disappear so I can be an individual like you and everyone else."  
Even if she could only pretend not to be. 

"Alright. I'll try and think of something for you."  
He hugged her back tightly in the warmth of the summer evening. 

~ 

There were only a few hours left of today until her birthday.  
It was strange to think of the passage of time that was her life.   
It almost seemed surreal, and yet it made sense a large animal such as herself becoming a disciplined protector was the best way to go.

A quiet job that kept her out of trouble.

Tigress steps brought her back to the dorm, she wasn't in the mood for training and everyone was preoccupied with 'surprises' for her tomorrow.   
So it was quiet, except for one room.   
Crane's room. He wasn't loud or anything but you could tell he was in there with the proper hearing. 

_Swish swish_

Her ears perked at the sound of his brush, usually, she would listen for a brief moment before heading into her room to meditate.  
But today she would take a chance like she did the previous morning to reach out. To close the distance even if it was one person at a time.   
The wooden floorboards didn't creak or make a sound under her feet. She could leave at this very moment and he'd never know she was there.

**Knock, Knock.**

The brush-like sounds stopped. "Yes?"   
"It's Tigress."   
"Oh, Come in! I kind of have paint on me right now... So you can let yourself in." She heard him half nervously chuckle with a mix of a sigh.   
Tigress opened the door with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. It made her remember those first meetings with Mr. Ping, was this how she would always feel around people?

Soon, she seated herself next to Crane and all his paints and rags. Along with his paper held down by small rocks of different sizes on the floor. He also didn't have his hat on, it sat near his bed.  
"So how's it going soon to be birthday girl?" He placed his brush down to welcome her properly.   
"Fine, I guess." Tigress tilted her head a little to look at what he was painting. It looked like a mountain shrouded in clouds. "You don't have to stop painting just because I'm here you know?" 

"It's alright." He actually waved his talon at her dismissively, before he picked up one of his stained rags. "I was going to take a break anyway. I'm surprised you're not out there training." He wiped off some of his feathers.  
"I...haven't felt like it lately." It kind of felt like she was admitting something out of character to him. 

"Ah. You got a block huh?"   
Her eyes moved from his talons to his downward face. She hadn't even noticed she was staring. "A block?"  
His yellow eyes finally looked to her, he blinked. "Like an artist's block, it happens. You know...uh...sometimes I don't feel like painting or can't think of anything to paint. Or I'm just not in the mood." 

She watched him take his brush and dab it into a small cup of water. 

"You should add birds in it."  
The avian paused in his dabbling. Water droplets fell from the brush tip back into the cup. "What?"  
The tiger pointed to the painting. "I think it would look nice with birds in it."  
He looked at the painting, even tilted his head as if to envision what she'd just suggested. "I think you're right. It would look nice to have some life in this portrait." 

And then they settled into a quaint silence. Crane painted birds, far and close into the clouded sky of his painting and she watched.   
She watched him paint Crane's, hawks alike with care on each feather and beak.

That was until she decided to get closer, the tiger was practically stalking the short distance from herself and the avian only to place her paw against his talons.  
Tigress flexed her claws beside his own, they were so alike and yet so different. It seemed like hers were sharper though?  
And this close she could see all the rings on his ankles and toes.

"What are you doing?" He was already bent over so all he had to do was turn his head ever so slightly to see what she was doing.  
"Looking at your talons." The tiger replied more honestly than she thought she could.  
"Are they that interesting?" His talons flexed a bit at that, was he nervous or simply conscious of the fact she was looking at them.  
Most likely nervous.  
"A little yeah."

Tigress wasn't sure why she held such an interest in his talons today. Maybe she was just trying to find something similar they shared, she wasn't entirely sure yet. For so long she thought of herself as the only one with sharp appendages.   
"Your claws seem sharper than mines though if they were, it'd be so much easier to pick things up." The avian pulled his other leg up to show just how much he had to grip the brush. His whole foot was wrapped around it to ensure it didn't fall. He went back to painting soon after, leaving her to her own devices. "Don't you think?"  
The tiger didn't answer since she wasn't sure what she thought. Were sharp claws useful for such mundane things as painting? 

Tigress was fully laid on her stomach at that point, quietly switching her sight between him painting and now and then tapping the ring on his toe with her claw. She'd never had her claws out this long near anyone but Mr. Ping or Po.  
Crane was strange.

With one last stroke, that was his signature on the right-hand corner of the paper, he nudged the rocks off it with his free talon after placing the brush to the side. "Not bad for someone who mostly practices calligraphy huh?"   
Tigress moved from her spot just a bit to see the painting better. It was pretty good! Earlier it seemed so simplistic but now it had alot of personality to it, he not only added birds but treetops with other small animals atop them at the bottom. One even looked like a tiger. "It's great. I really like it."   
She could feel a smile on her face. 

"Here." Crane sat the painting before her paws. "You can have it. But don't think that's your present! I did buy you something!"   
The tiger looked up at the avian and back to the painting twice, she wanted to say she couldn't possibly take it but then a thought popped into her head.   
Today was the last day she would be Tigress. No longer would this hesitant feline exist.

"How about I tell you a secret in exchange for it?"   
He gave her a confused look, yellow eyes squinted as his neck went back a little. Crane looked far more expressionate without his hat. "Sure...if you want too..." His nervousness was telling in his voice. "But you really don't hav-"

"I lied to you."   
She would attain the individuality she desired.   
Crane moved his wings about as he shuffled a bit. "A-About what exactly?"   
She found herself sliding back down to leaning on her elbows, very aware her claws were still out. "When I said I had a name when Viper implied I assumed 'Tigress' was my actual name."  
Neither broke eye contact in that little room as two sets of claws clicked against the wooden floor.

"I have no name." 

Tigress watched Crane's movements, his mouth opened like Mr. Ping's when he was speechless but his eyes.   
They seemed not only sad but regretful when they looked upon her. Why? He didn't do anything to her. She couldn't hug him as she did with Mr. Ping, they hadn't set their boundaries up enough yet.

So she did the next best thing. "It's okay Crane. When tomorrow comes I'll have a name, Mr. Ping is giving me one."   
But he didn't seem reassured by her words. "It's not okay...you shouldn't have to feel like you have to lie about things like that to us." His head moved too quickly for even her to register, she could feel his beak atop her head as if fixing the fur on top of it. It didn't feel bad but it was a surprise, to say the least.   
"I'm sorry Tigress." She wasn't sure if he was apologizing for the surprise preening or for something else, probably both.

She raised her brow at him. "For what?"   
"I should have looked out for you more." It seemed like his attention was now on her shirt, plucking any small bits off of it. "I'm the oldest one here after all and no!" He stopped in his preening just to point a talon at her face. "Being the leader does not excuse that!" 

And then he made a face as if he realized he forgot his hat and walked outside without it.   
"How old are you anyway?"   
It was then she saw a small leaf on his feathers, she picked it off him. "21."  
"You're younger than Po...and here I am at thirty." Apparently, he was done with preening her altogether, going back to get his brush to dip it in water. "From now on I'll help you more often with the team which is what I should have been doing."

"Don't worry Crane you're still in your Prime. I mean you and Mei Ling are having a baby right?"   
The brush's handle clinked against the cup.  
"Who told you that?"   
It was at that moment Tigress may or may not have realized she said something wrong. "Well...Mantis kind of told Po and Monkey that while I was sitting with them. I'm sorry if I was mistake-"

It was then his door burst open which spooked her claws right back in her paws. Speak of the devil...  
"Hey, Crane! Po said he's about to fix dinner also have you seen-oh There she is." Mantis waved one of his thingies at her. "Po wanted you to help him out a bit."   
"Okay." She got up from her spot only to see Crane pick up his hat. The tiger picked up her painting and started to leave. "I'll see you later Crane. Thanks for the painting." 

When he turned she expected the avian to be upset but instead, he smiled at her. "No problem Tigress. You can come back anytime."  
Maybe he wasn't mad at her?  
With one last wave to the avian, she walked down the hall stopping by her room to drop off her painting before heading to the kitchen.  
Tigress thought on some of the things her friend said to her, she always assumed he wasn't interested in acting like a senior to anyone. 

"Hey, Mantis..."  
But maybe everyone wanted to be reliable in some way?

**CRASH**

Her thoughts were abruptly cut off when she heard Mantis' screams and a loud crash that was no doubt a very powerful kick.  
Tigress walked faster to the kitchen after that.

~

_The sky is so bright, it'll definitely be okay!_

~

It was late into the night.   
And Mr. Ping should have been in bed but no, instead he was outside after walking Shifu to the steps to make sure he made it to the palace fine.   
But that was no one's fault but his own.

The lanterns around him illuminated his shadow.

Any other day he wouldn't have let himself so carelessly stare at things like that but it was so quiet out here tonight and no one was out here.  
It gave him time to think and process recent events, that seemed to keep piling up making a bigger mess than Po did on laundry day. 

"Oh gods' how am I going to explain this to Po?" Was he just supposed to say 'Hey son Shifu gave me the rights and blessings to adopt Tigress and now she's your little sister.'   
Also, she asked me to give her a name!  
The sound of trickling water welcomed him as he walked over the bridge.

His mother warned him he was far too nosey for his own good...  
Even so, he didn't regret what he did, how could he? Both Tigress and Shifu were very vulnerable right now. They were both trying out new things they never thought they would ever experience, for the first time or again. At first, he felt it was very complicated but in the end, it wasn't it was rather simple.  
The goose stopped at the edge of the bridge watching the river flow.

Just like how he should have had a heart to heart with Po much earlier than the evacuation that day. A day doesn't go by where he doesn't regret not being more supportive of his son when he needed him most. Shifu most likely thought he didn't understand his struggle but he did.   
The thought of never knowing if you're enough for the child in your life and wanting nothing more than for them to prosper in this world.

"Come on Ping, get yourself home." That birthday party wasn't going to prepare itself.   
He walked home in silence attempting to push away all these sad thoughts, tomorrow was meant to be a happy day for Tigress.   
And he still hadn't picked a name yet...

Mr. Ping couldn't hold in all despair filled noises as he entered his home. He knew he'd have to look into that book of names all over again since Shifu picked out FOUR names he liked instead of one!  
Why did people have to trust him so much!?  
Although, having Tigress's trust wasn't anything to take advantage of or take lightly. From what Po told him her trust was a privilege and a challenge in itself. The fact she came to him was a 'shocker' as his son put it even Shifu was confused by it.

He trudged upstairs to his room, unconsciously touching his son's room door in the process.   
The goose placed his hat on his dresser before sitting on his bed where he left his book of names. "Maybe I should have told him."

It probably wouldn't have changed anything though.

The real reason why Master Tigress approached him.   
His wing grazed the names that lined the page. "Yu Yan would be a good one."  
When he told Shifu that she probably just had an 'off day' wasn't entirely a lie, it had been an extremely off day for the poor girl and she'd asked him to keep it a secret. Despite his better judgment he did as she asked.

"Mo Chou." If only she could be 'free of sadness.'

_"There you go." He laid the towel over her shoulders, out of habit he picked certain ends of the towel before rubbing it on her head a little._   
_He caught himself a little too late. "Oh, I'm sorry...I usually do that for Po and..." He laughed nervously before attempting to pull away. "I do sincerely apologize Master-"_

_His ramblings stopped when he felt her paw over his wing, he looked at it and back to her downward face about four times._   
_"Please...don't call me that..." Her voice was so quiet, it didn't even sound like her voice but a ghost of it. "Don't call me that."_   
_Mr. Ping stood before the young tiger before him, drenched and hurt. From far away she seemed untouchable and almost invincible but right here, right now she resembled a cub more than anything._

_"Alright." He kept himself as still as he could, only letting his wing move a tad bit in her hold. "Tigress. Dear I-I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened okay?"_   
_He could feel her shiver and shake._   
_"They screamed." Her voice seemed to quiver as she recalled whatever had happened to her. "I didn't want to go..."_

_He closed his eyes and breathed in. "Dear." He brought his free wing to the side of her head catching her full attention. "You're safe here. and I'm here for you."_   
_Words he should have told his son long ago spilled out for a young woman who he barely knew personally. And yet she leaned into his touch as if she hadn't felt such a thing in years._

_She lifted her head unsteadily, tears already building in her eyes but she tried to blink them away. "I had to leave the village on a mission to another on my own," But there were just too many to blink away. "The people feared me, looked at me like those children did...I saved someone from being impaled and they...screamed and ran from me."_   
_That explained the cut at least._

_Her other paw scratched the surface of his wooden floor, as much as he wanted to move away from her at that moment he grounded himself. "It hurt..."_   
_'None of these actions were violent.'_

_"Am I not good enough?" Her right paw dropped from his wing, she seemed to accept her fate filled with tears. "Am I still just a monster?"_   
_It was at that moment, Mr. Ping felt something in his chest that he hadn't felt since well since he found Po right behind his shop. It wasn't pitying far from it but warmth. A warmth that was meant to be shared with those who had none in this cold world._

_So he hugged the tiger around her neck even though she was still wet from what she walked from. It didn't matter in the end, she was safe with a roof over her head and that's what mattered most._

_"No. You are not a monster, they are the real monsters." Surprisingly she was quick to hug him back, it reminded him of the days when Po was little and lacked restraint in his bear hugs which only made him smile and pat her back. "Only monsters would mistreat someone they don't know or understand...You did the right thing."_   
_Tigress sobbed in his hold, while he spoke the sound hurt his heart but he knew she needed this. His experience with Po showed him how unforgiving this world could be to those who were different._   
_This was no exception._

_"I...just want to see people smile at me as you do but I don't know how." She held him tighter as thunder rumbled across the sky._   
_Things that seemed complicated always turned out to be simple in the end._   
_Tigress came to him for a smile, a smile that held no malice or ill intentions, just a simple welcoming smile. That was meant solely for her._   
_To think such a small gesture could be that special to someone._

_Mr. Ping pulled from the hug and surprisingly she let him do it, he looked upon her face, the poor thing looked downright miserable._   
_He rubbed the side of her sniffling face with the edge of the towel with a smile._

_"Goodness you remind me of my little Po." He commented whilst he completely dried her face off. The only resistance she made known was a face that spelled she didn't like the towel all over her. "Even if the rest of China never smiles at you, I will."_   
_He knew at that moment a decision so unexpected had been made in his heart for a young tiger who wanted dearly to be loved by the people around her._

Mr. Ping yawned as he looked out his open window, the stars and moon shined brightly.   
Maybe just maybe this was meant to be in the end. 

~

_Be careful with sweet words_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, time for a few notes:  
> \- For this chapter, I actually looked into how the animals these guys are show affection. Red panda's seem real energetic and playful so I didn't have much to work with there but when I found out birds preen to show affection to one another. I just went for it. So, there's a fun fact for you! I really wanted to incorporate these animal like traits like the movies tend to do and gosh the stuff I learned about tigers was something else. There super playful and destructively so aswell from what I read from zoos.   
> \- Crane's my second favorite FF member after Tigress so it was only natural I'd let them be friends first. Also yeah, I know the kfp wiki says he's also in his 20s but I like thinking he's the eldest since he had a job and everything before joining. So that part is just me taking liberties.   
> \- Yu Yuan is a popular female name that describes those with beautiful smiles. Mo Chou means "Free of sadness" as mentioned in this fic.  
> If you want to see where I got these names well here's the link: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/articles/the-11-most-beautiful-chinese-names-and-what-they-mean/  
> I think that's everything... Hopefully, this will turn out alright.  
> ~  
> Previews: Chapter 6 - Your earnest heart I want to give it back to you:  
> "They look like bunnies..."   
> "Do you remember what I trained you for?"   
> "You... You wanted me?"   
> "It's not weird it's just different and there's nothing wrong with that."   
> It's time for the finale! And Tigress' new name!! We made it now all I need to do is finish that epilogue!


	6. Your earnest heart I want to give it back to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All things must come to an end, but that does not mean they can not continue on.

_**August 14th, XXX** _

Today was the day. Her first birthday.

Tigress was up earlier than usual, she fiddled her feet around for who knows how long in her bed merely listening and watching the morning move by.   
She could hear the others get up early even before dawn broke, it was most likely one of their surprises for her today. She could have gotten up at any time but something stopped her, maybe curiosity or excitement to see what they had planned.  
All in all, she wasn't in a bad mood, in fact, it was the opposite she had so much to look forward too! Even if a part of her thought it was just another average day.

**Knock knock.**

The tiger's head immediately turned to the noise, it wasn't long before the door slide a bit to reveal a familiar face.   
"Tigress? Are you awake?" Shifu spoke softly as he peered into the room, soon their eyes met. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you are." A smile graced his face, one that was infectious enough to get one out of her too.

She picked herself up from her laying position, now sat up straight. "Good morning Father."   
The red panda walked in, revealing he had a plate of Tang Yuan dumplings in one of his paws. "Good morning and Happy birthday Tigress."   
They sat in peaceful silence eating the sweet dumplings on her bed together. 

"You know," Tigress turned towards her master, he looked rather sentimental at his dumpling. She wondered what was going through his mind. "I never knew you had such a sweet tooth when Po told me you liked these I almost didn't believe him."   
The tiger master shrugged. "I didn't know either until Mr. Ping made some earlier this year." She took another bite of it, enjoying the taste of crushed peanuts and bean paste together. "It seems like more people are eating them more often now. But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, there rather easy to make." 

The old master covered his mouth before speaking. "You know how to make them?"   
Tigress nodded as she ate the last dumpling. "Yeah, he taught me how. I could show you when you're fre-"  
"SURPRISE!!!!" 

Tigress responded to the loud sound immediately, she was quick to take a defensive stance, pushed her Master back and keep herself between what was at the door from getting to Shifu at all costs.  
In short, she was startled and ready to fight!  
"Ah...Happy...birthday..." Po, who she was now looking at squeaked out nervously. He had a strange hat.

"Po! I told you we shouldn't have done this!" 

Her eyes trailed behind the panda to see Monkey with a plate in his hands. The others seemed to be behind him aswell.  
"I wanted this to be special though!" The panda whined, his little hat tilted in the process. "When's the next time we can actually give her a real surprise? This was too good of an opportunity to let slide anyway." 

He looked like a downright troublemaker at that last comment.   
Tigress relaxed her posture, tilting her head to take in this surprise. "Are those apples?" She pointed her paw at the plate in the panda's hold.   
"Oh yeah! I cut them up just for you."   
"They look like bunnies..." The peels were cut in a way that the top had a slit between them, they even stuck up a little for the true effect of bunny ears.

It was then she remembered she had pushed Shifu. "Master!?" She turned back towards her bed to see the red panda holding on to the top of her bed as if to keep him from falling.   
"I-I'm so sorry I-"

He waved her off with that smile again. "It's okay. At least I know in an emergency I'm generally going to be safe."

~

The rest of the morning went smoothly, he'd told them that today there wouldn't be any training due to it being her first birthday and all. 

Which led to the others inviting her to play games outside until the noodle shop opened. The old master took the opportunity to bring the medium-sized blue ball he had brought when Mantis proposed they should play some catch.   
She was very happy with it! He watched her amber eyes scan the object and graze her claws against it. It seemed to make a sound she liked with the way her ears and tail moved. 

Shifu sat to the side under the shade, taking joy in merely watching them play in the courtyard. He hadn't realized until today how he never really saw them like this, lax and playful as young adults should be.   
Tigress was no exception either, he could see it took her awhile to unwind around the others like this, she was conservative with her throws and movements as if one wrong move would hurt someone. That was until Crane patted her on the back, urging her to go. 

This too was a good change of pace.

Alot had happened without his notice but that wasn't entirely a bad thing.  
The wind caressed his fur as it blew by, for some odd reason it made him think of earlier this morning.

_"Master. I've returned."_   
_His cup tapped against the surface of the floor he sat upon. He didn't move from his position to regard the messenger. "Good work Zeng." The aroma of the candles lit around him was especially strong today. "But I have one more request for you."_

_You can no longer go back after this._

_'Are you out of your mind!?'_

_He wasn't sure if he was smiling or cringing at the memory. Maybe just maybe he was._   
_"I need you to take that scroll to Mr. Ping. He already knows what it is."_   
_He expected to hear the bird shuffle out the building with his usual haste but today was full of surprises. His ears picked up the sound of webbed feet making their way near him._

_The messenger placed his wing on his shoulder. "I...I know I have no right to speak on this matter, Master Shifu but..." The goose audibly gulped. "I think you are doing the right thing even if I don't entirely understand because I trust your judgment and always will."_   
_And just like that, his touch was gone and Zeng was preparing to leave without another word._

_"Thank you, Zeng."_

~

_This is for you..._

~

"Why aren't you coming down with us?"   
Tigress asked her friends at the gate of the palace, arms crossed over her chest. 

Po scratched behind his head before answering. "Well...we have a few things to get ready so-" Before she knew it, that panda picked her up from under her arms without any issue and hugged her. "-could you please just play along." She didn't even try to escape, the tiger master knew it was pointless when Po got ahold of someone in his hugs. "Plus what's better than spending extra time with your dad!"

Her tail fell to the ground completely.

She was not pouting. Master Tigress was not pouting about being picked up like a lightweight child at all.   
"Yeah...how about you put me down so I can go then?" She patted the panda on his shoulder, twice.  
He was quick to comply, even though he tended to be random about his affections at least she had a way to say 'I've had enough.'

"Now you two have fun down there. And happy birthday Tigress~"   
He patted her on the back urging her to go on with Shifu down the steps. Everyone else seemed to have left already. "You've told me that so many times already..."  
"Yup! And you're going to hear it about a thousand more times at your party~!" He sang out loud with far too much joy.  
"Ugh..."

After that silence befell the two masters once again as they walked down the thousand stairs at a comfortable pace. It just seemed to be a trend between them, even now.   
She couldn't help but wonder if that would be the case in the future. Surely things would change.  
The tiger stopped noticing Shifu was lagging behind a little. "Master are you okay?" He'd been acting strange ever since breakfast ended and it concerned her. Was he sick?

Maybe he was having a vision?  
He might be tired especially in this heat.

The red panda took a moment to answer, his ears shifting in certain directions. "Ah, yes I'm fine. I was just thinking of something." He walked towards her with that smile again, taking ahold of her paw to continue there trek.   
"What were you thinking about?"  
She held onto his small paw tightly.

"I'm probably just sentimental because it's your birthday but I couldn't help but remember when I first met you." She watched him as they walked, it was strange to think that now she had to look down to regard him. She was far taller than when they had first met.  
Did he feel like Mr. Ping did about Po?

"Tigress."  
She could feel his grip slacken in her paw but didn't attempt to let go.   
"Do you remember what I trained you for?" His blue eyes looked upward as they took the last step down together.   
It was at that moment she understood what Mr. Ping had meant that day at the market. Master Shifu had changed even more than she could even fathom. So she answered him in tandem. "You trained me to become a protector for the weak and to improve myself so that I could live an honest life as a Kung fu Master." 

His smile disappeared.

~

_Can you accept me like this?_

~

To her surprise, many of the villagers wished her a happy birthday as they walked down the street. Some even gave her small gifts or a simple thanks for the work she does for the valley. It was a strange feeling but it wasn't necessarily bad.

Tigress still hadn't let go of his paw, it felt more like a warm safety net than anything as they made it to the noodle shop.  
The restaurant was surprisingly empty, most likely due to the owner still setting up decorations for her party. The tiger looked upon her banner. 

'Happy Birthday Tigress!' It even had a drawing of a tiger's face on it.  
To think that wouldn't be her name for long. 

Actually where was Mr. Ping, he was usually always here to greet her? She turned her head this way and that way in search of the goose.  
"I'll go check upstairs." 

It was then Shifu decided to speak up, there paws barely apart as she paused to listen. "Tigress. I know you aren't a fan of surprises but I and Mr. Ping did something for you. And..." He paused completely, looking only at her paw and then closed his eyes. "What I'm giving you is what I trained you for from the very start." 

The Grandmaster looked up to her eyes, a sad but accepting smile on his face. It looked like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, it reminded her of when he announced he had found inner peace three years ago.  
"And I am so proud of you, Tigress." 

She let go of his paw and went upstairs without another word.

~

Her trip up the stairs felt longer than it should have.  
Why did he say that now?  
She placed her paw over her heart, feeling it tighten.  
What did he mean?

Mr. Ping's room door was cracked open so he had to be in Po's old room.   
The door opened with a loud and long creak.  
What she witnessed was Mr. Ping sitting on Po's old bed, looking at a scroll, fiddling with it every now and then before looking up at her.  
With that same smile on his face. 

"You know I was deciding whether or not I should say Happy birthday with your new name or Tigress as soon as you got here..." The goose closed the scroll again. "I'm sorry I'm just nervous. I have no clue whether you'll like this name or not. I thought about it all night."   
She left the door cracked open, settling herself right next to the goose, somehow the bed didn't creak under their shared weight.

"Well, I won't know if I dislike it until you tell me."  
The goose merely laughed, placing his wing behind her back. "I guess you're right. Here. I'll let you read it."  
Tigress took the scroll from Mr. Ping's wing, the anticipation was just too much! She opened the scroll without hesitation!

"Chunhau." She spoke her new name, testing the sound and she liked it! And the best part it was hers and hers alone! She was Tigress no longer now she was Chunhau Ping!  
Wait...

The tiger held the scroll out a little further away as she looked at the paper more thoroughly, this looked like her adoption papers.  
At the top for adopting parents was written:  
 _Suan Ping_

"Well, at least I know you like your first name." All of a sudden the wing on her back felt heavy.   
Mr. Ping took in two deep breaths before speaking again. "I know this is very sudden but I just want you to know I or Shifu didn't do this halfheartedly. And I'm going to do my best to be a good father for you, Chunhau."  
The tiger was silent as she breathed in and out, everything was starting to make sense now. This was why Shifu said what he did downstairs. 

This was why he waited for her to let him go.

Even considering that, tears still fell as she dropped the scroll. The sound it made against the floor was loud but not loud enough to cover her whimpers and sniffles. The goose as always was patient and waited with a supportive wing to her back.  
"You... You wanted me?" Was the only thought that left her mouth. There was so much to say and yet the thought of someone wanting her besides Shifu was an impossibility for so long.

Mr. Ping's face crinkled when he smiled at her, it reminded her too much of the day she came here in the rain when he comforted her at her worst.  
"Goodness you remind me of my little Po."  
He leaned in close to her arm, wrapping his wing around her back in a side hug as she cried. "Of course I do. I wanted to adopt you from the very first time I brought you into my shop bloody and soaked from the rain. You're like the daughter I now have and love."

Love.

Tigress, no Chunhau moved and bent to hug her father, the goose and he hugged back without any hesitation.  
What a strange thing.

"I love you too Papa."

~

He felt so wayward.

Shifu tried to keep his composure downstairs for as long as he could but he couldn't help it! He just had to pace! 

Back and forth...Back and forth...

Was she upset? Was she happy? He didn't know because they took so long coming back downstairs!

Back and forth...back and forth...

The red panda made an exasperated sound while he put his paws over his face letting them slide down.   
What if she hated him?

That thought made him stop right smack in the middle of his pacing. Maybe it would better if he left? In the end, he was no longer her parent now so why was he still here.   
Well, a lack of parentage didn't mean he didn't care about her anymore.   
'But still, maybe it would be better to just let her spend time with her new family...' His gaze looked towards the exit, there weren't many people out today.   
So she could get used to this drastic change.

He took his first hesitant step towards the door.  
Now they could simply be student and...  
"Master!" 

Shifu turned so quickly, he almost felt dizzy! There at the door of the noodle shop kitchen stood Tigress in her black changshan, with a tear-stained face and a smile.  
The tiger walked towards him, closing the distance between them. She got to one knee before him, making sure they were at eye level.  
She took in a breath that made her shoulders rise and fall before speaking to him. "Shifu." 

The old master was speechless so all he did was a nod, feeling a sense of deja vu.   
"I am Chunhau. Chunhau Ping the tiger. The tiger two people loved and wanted."   
Shifu wasn't sure who hugged the other first but it didn't matter. None of the things he worried about mattered right now.   
"Hello, Chunhau. I'm so happy I could help you."

Tigress the monster was no more and his mission was now done.

~

The afternoon was soon coming to a close but there was still time before her party. And even then Mr. Ping, her dad had more decorations to put up before then.   
She couldn't help but laugh as she jogged back to the thousand steps, he wanted whatever he had planned for her to be a surprise.  
Even Shifu told her to spend her day with her friends until later, also he got roped into helping the goose with what he had planned. 

It was then she spotted black and white along with a familiar hat.  
"Hey!" She couldn't help but wave them down, how could you with such great news!?  
The tiger cleared the distance with ease, stopping right before them. 

Maybe she was too excited?

Po gasped and hid some box behind him.  
"Hey, Tigress. We didn't make you wait too long did we?" Viper spoke as she slithered down the last few steps, her head seemed to scan the area. "Where's Master Shifu?"  
"No, and he's helping Mr. Ping with decorations right now. Also..." She could feel herself fidget right on the spot, even though she just wanted to yell out her new name for all to hear.  
She had some restraint in herself.

"Well, you seem really happy. What did Shifu give you a super cool present!?" Po was quick to ask.   
"Or Mr. Ping." Crane walked up to the two masters with Mantis on his hat. He gave her an encouraging nod.  
"I have a name now!" She announced with a smile she could feel, usually, she would never let her fangs show but today none of that mattered! She was ecstatic.   
It was then Monkey decided to hang himself on Po, extending his hand to her. "Well, why don't you introduce yourself?"  
She took his hand into her paw shaking it. "I'm Chunhau."

Chunhau felt a slither up her back and a small kiss was placed on the side of her head. "That's such a cute name! I'm so glad you have one now." Even if it was just Viper, it still made her feel like blushing.  
Po soon joined Viper in showing affection towards her with a paw over her shoulder. "Congrats Ti-I mean...man you need a new nickname now."   
"Really Po?" Crane deadpanned. "She just got her new name and you want to shorten it already?"

"Nicknames aren't just short versions of names. There special and meant to be used by friends." The dragon warrior moved away a moment in thought, he even picked up his box from earlier. "ChuChu? Nah. How about Chu!"   
The avian merely shook his head.

"I'm okay with that..." She allowed Viper to get off of her before moving. "As long as I can call you big brother."  
The look on there faces made her laugh, she felt so carefree and maybe a tad bit mischevious. For once she could be the prankster for a little while.   
Mantis threw up his thingies in the air. "Alright. I'm lost."

"Is this an acknowledgment of our relationship because I'm okay with this but uh its sudden." Po had one claw up as he looked around. "But wow my former idol calling me big bro..."   
"That's a true glow up." Monkey commented.  
"No, wait."   
"Nonono, no." The panda put his paw up to stop her. "I'm so happy," He sniffed as if he was about to cry! "You're being so honest with me in public. This is progress!"  
Was he wiping away tears!?

It was then Crane patted her on the back with his wing. "There's no need to be embarrassed, we all have someone we look up too as that older sibling we never had."  
"You don't understand..." Chunhau was quick to pull the scroll out of her pocket before this situation got any weirder. "I was adopted, See?" After pulling open the scroll, her claw was right over Mr. Ping's name. "See!?"

They all squinted at the paper before them, huddling around the tiger to see it properly.   
Monkey took ahold of the scroll to look closer. "Mr. Ping's first name is Suan!?"   
"What did you think my dad's name was just Mister Ping!?"  
"I mean that's all we call him! What else was I supposed to think?"  
"Monkey!" Po physically turned the langurs head towards him. "My name is Po **PING** , what do you think that means!?"   
The simian covered his face with his hands.

"Po." The tiger poked the panda. "Can you at least acknowledge I'm your sister before rightfully getting on Monkey about this."  
The panda patted the simian on the back, leaning in but not whispering near his head. "I'm not letting you live this down."   
"Tigr-I mean Chunhau." The avian spoke up when she looked to his face that was shaded by his hat even now she could see the concern on his features. "Are you okay with this?" 

"Yeah, you and Shifu were getting along so well. I thought things were getting better." Even Viper looked down about this change.   
She could understand how her friends viewed this because she had similar thoughts after finding out. Her amber eyes looked upon the scroll in her paw.   
This scroll didn't just mean she had a new family, it was Shifu acknowledging she had grown enough in training to get the family she had wanted for so long. 

Her eyes moved back to regard Viper and Crane. "I am. It's proof I've done enough."   
"Let me give my new awesome little sister a hug!!" Po announced as he pulled her into a hug.

This is what he trained me for.

~

Dragon Warrior Noodles & Tofu was filled to the brim with colorful lanterns, banners and any other thing Mr. Ping could get Shifu to put on the thin lines above the tables.   
There was even a dragon ice sculpture!  
To say she was impressed was an understatement! 

As soon as they all entered, the tiger was too enamored with the lights to even mind the other people moving about around her.   
"Like it?"   
Chunhau looked down to see Master Shifu smiling up at her with his paws behind his back.   
"No, in fact, I love it." Her eyes soon returned to the lanterns above, she couldn't help but wonder just how many different colors were up there.  
"Well, that's good to hear." The old master spoke with a sigh before patting her leg. "Let's get you to a table. Mr. Ping is about to bring out your cake."

She followed him after one last look above with a hmmm sound.  
He pulled a chair right in the middle of one of the owner's longest tables. He usually only brought this out for big events like the winter festival. "Something wrong?"   
"No." The tiger shook her head, thanking him for the seat. "I just never told him what kind of cake I wanted not that I would really know." 

"Alright everyone gather round' its cake time!" Mr. Ping announced from the counter before getting Po to open to the door for him.  
Shifu leaned close to her after taking his seat to her right. "I think he has you covered."   
What she saw made her cover her mouth with her paws in complete surprise.

Mr. Ping walked out with a decent sized cake of water chestnuts, somehow he had managed to get the candles on top of it too! Po also had two similar cakes in his hand most likely for everyone else to enjoy.  
When the goose made it to the table, placing the cake before her she could tell just how brown, crispy and glossy it looked! It even looked symmetrical, it was a perfect rectangle. She swore she saw some stars on the cake too! How do you even do that!?  
To put it simply it was perfect in every way.

Monkey chuckled. "If this is your reaction to the cake, you'll be crying at the presents."  
"Gods. You've outdone yourself this time Ping." She couldn't even bother to look Shifu's way as he spoke but she knew he had to be just as impressed at the display.   
"You should look into adding baked goods to your shop!" A glance at Mantis showed a hungry look on his face.  
"It's perfect." Was all she could say.

"Awww Thank you." The goose waved his wing bashfully at all the praise. "Let's not wait then! After we get the song done then everyone can have cake-"  
Everyone in the shop made excited noises.  
"-after Chunhau gets her first piece, of course."  
Everyone in the shop physically deflated.

Mr. Ping took off his apron before taking a seat next to the tiger. "Alright, we'll start all together at three." Everyone around the table nodded after his pause. "One, two, thr-"  
"Wait!" The tiger put her paw up before quickly putting it on Mr. Ping's shoulder. "um...Papa."   
It was still kind of strange using that term.  
"Yes?"   
Chunhau tried to keep her eyes on the goose. "Can we uh use my new name for this?"   
Her new father made an 'o' expression before nodding. "We absolutely can! Everyone!!" He raised his voice at everyone to gain their attention. "Use Chunhau instead of Tigress okay?"

And so the birthday song started with a hitch.   
_"Happy birthday to you."_  
Even though she should have had all her focus on the singing for her party, she couldn't help but look around at everyone. All her friends and family there to celebrate a day she used to treat as any other day. Tigress watched as each of her friends sung together, some going a little overboard, yes Po because of course the song needed extra guitar bits. 

_"Happy birthday dear Chunhau~"_  
And then her gaze fell upon Shifu, who was trying to sing along. His fingers tapped the wooden table now and then along with his body swaying a bit but what caught her attention the most was:  
He looked happy.

Earlier the red panda had looked like he was about to have a breakdown and when they hugged it almost felt like he didn't want to let her go. But he knew he had too and maybe he found himself accepting it just as she had.  
Chunhau blew out her candles, wishing nothing more than for both her father's happiness and good health.

_"Happy birthday to you~"_

~

The cake was delicious! Mr. Ping had cut the cake in nice square pieces, when she had gotten her first bite it felt like the first time she had tried that cake all over again.  
It was sweets heaven.  
The tiger had probably eaten just as much as Po that evening. 

Now was the time for gifts!  
Chunhau was still chewing on what she told herself was the last piece she'd have tonight as she waited for the others to get there presents from upstairs out for her.  
"Po be careful!" Viper screamed.

Po was the first to barrel down the steps with his gift in hand. "You get to open my present first!"   
She finished off that piece of cake before shrugging in her lounge position. "I'm not going anywhere so it doesn't really matter what order I open these."  
The panda tapped her nose when he was in range. "Of course it matters because one, this is your first birthday and two, This is your first birthday with your family." He put up a claw for each number until he pointed at himself. "Me, your big bro."

"You're making me regret telling you at all."   
"Hush and take your present." He presented it before her with both arms extended.  
The tiger took the medium-sized box covered in red wrappings, running her claws against it a bit before opening it entirely. 

Whatever it was, it was skinny.

She pulled the object out to find it was an...action figure.   
An action figure of Crane to be specific, but it was nothing like the one Po had it seemed new?  
"How did you make this so quick?" The wings seemed to move better and the legs could even bend more than the other. And...The talons.

The panda laughed a little, sounding bashful. "Well I can't take all the credit, I mostly carved it. Crane helped me paint it and even let me look at his awesome talons!! I just had to make it perfect with him modeling!"   
"My talons are not that awesome." The avian himself walked up to the duo, placing his box on the table. When he looked up he saw two very offended faces.   
"Yes, they are."   
"Yeah man, you got to have more confidence in yourself." Po pointed at him before taking some more cake. "Also now she can stop taking my Crane Figure."   
"She wha-"

"My TURN!!" Mantis yelled before Crane could finish.  
With everyone finally downstairs, opening the gifts went far more quickly. Not entirely quickly since she liked touching the wrapping before opening it, years of training to inspect things beforehand was hard to let go of.

Also, she liked touching things.  
Mantis had given her a long and wide box, covered in green wrapping. It made so much noise under her touch.  
To her surprise he'd gotten her a very cool coat, it had fluffy fur covering the collar and bellow the ends of it.   
"As soon as I saw you with that Changshan I knew you'd love this!"

Crane's box was rather large so opening it required a bit more tact, a paint set was inside along with a canvas and some paper.   
"I thought it'd be nice if we painted together more often. You know, you've got a good imagination."

Next was Viper. This box was small and surprisingly it smelt nice. She pulled the top off to reveal a long red ribbon, there was even a clip inside if she wanted to put it on her head.   
"I know you don't tend to like these kinds of things but you can wrap that around any way you want. I just wanted to give you something for good luck in the future."  
Chunhau wrapped the ribbon around her wrist.

Monkey handed the tiger her gift instead of sitting it with the others. He seemed unsure for some reason.  
This box was similar to Mantis' but lighter. She opened it to find an apron, pure white in its design.   
"I know we don't always get along but it'd be nice if we could cook sometimes since you seem to be interested in it."

After that, a slew of villagers presented her with even more thanks, small gifts including money and wishes for good health, and even farewells since some had to head home.  
With the crowd half gone, she had time to look at her last gift. It looked like it was from Mr. Ping.

"Oh dear hold on!"   
She turned to regard him, and almost froze when she saw the red envelope in his wings. "Y-You really don't have to give me money." The villagers had given her enough and even that was hard to take.   
Her father shook his head. "Nonsense. I'm your dad now and you deserve it even if you think you don't." That ever knowing smile graced his face. "Take it."   
She took the outstretched envelope and held it in her paws. So many times she'd seen other children with these packets especially during new years and here she was now holding her first one.

"Thank you."

Chunhau had been looking at her envelope so long, she hadn't even noticed the goose had gone and picked up her present for her.  
"Now you can open this."  
She placed her envelope in her pocket before taking the box, another rectangular one like the other two, it had to be clothes but it probably the longest box she held.   
Chunhau placed it on the table to open it better, she kind of felt bad for ripping this wrapping.  
"Woah."

Inside was a red Tang suit, pants included! When she lifted the shirt, the sleeves looked like the appropriate length for her arms unlike her Changshan and they even had dragon-like designs on them.   
"That'll look good with the coat Mantis got you," Po commented from the side, still eating cake.  
"Thanks...Papa. Really. I don't know what to say." Chunhau felt so very speechless as she touched the fabric of her suit. That light feeling appeared in her heart all over again, the thought of this being nothing more than a dream-filled her head.

Mr. Ping's wing fell upon her paw. "Your thanks and smile are enough Chu."  
The warm feeling on her paw was enough to push away that theory.

~

_One by one, I count everything you've done for me. I remember everything._

~

The stars above shined brightly upon the valley.

It was growing late and many had gone home, one by one the residents in the village lit a lantern outside there homes.   
The party was over, it was time to clean up and head home. Everyone pitched in with cleaning until they all had to leave for the palace.

The old master watched as Tigress now Chunhau hugged her father goodbye with a face filled with happiness. It wasn't too long until her new sibling joined in to bring them all together into a bear hug.

Shifu turned around after that, walking ahead to go back home, there was no need for him to watch anymore.  
He made his way down the streets of the village, staff in hand as light and darkness crossed over his body. 

It was over, he'd done what he needed to do. 'It was for the best.' He told himself again as he made his way up the thousand steps.   
The smile on her face today was enough to show he'd done the right thing for her. Even if it hurt a little to admit he'd been a very irresponsible father to her.   
Once he made it to the top, his eyes looked back down he could only see small splotches of silhouettes but there was no doubt in his mind they were his students.

"Students."  
Not far behind...

Shifu stood in his room, looking down at the small toy in front of him. It's black button eyes looked back at him with a small smile.   
He'd forgotten to bring it down to the shop...

He'd been so preoccupied with how Tigress would react to the adoption, he'd forgotten all about the plush he brought for her!  
The red panda merely fell to his knees allowing his whole body to sink on the cool floor.  
"I'm a coward...." 

He reached his paw out to touch the tiger's small fuzzy paw.  
It wasn't warm at all.

For some reason after lying on the floor with the tiger plush for god knows how long, he went outside with it in hand. He held the little thing tightly, its little paws tapped lightly against his arms and wrists.  
Was he feeling regret so soon?

It couldn't be, he told Chunhau, he was happy to help her. This was what he trained her for and he should be elated! And yet...  
He couldn't let go of this damn plush! It wasn't too late to give it to her.  
Shifu threw himself to the ground unceremoniously, still holding the tiger for comfort against his boiling emotions. It felt like that abrupt night Oogway had "left" all over again...

But there was no Dragon warrior to fix his problems this time.  
He probably looked really stupid. The grandmaster of the Jade Palace sulking and lying under the peach tree with a plush in hand.  
And here he thought nothing could have been worse than last months 'plush incident'. 

He just laid there letting the cherry blossoms fall onto his body, opting to think because that just made things worse for him!  
"Master?"  
Why was life so complicated!? First, he was gungho about asking Mr. Ping to adopt Tigress because her happiness was more important than giving himself a second chance at being a parent.  
And now he was outside feeling another existential crisis along with it being muggy hit him square in the heart while holding a plush toy.

"Shifu?"  
Grade A, adult here!

"Shifu!" Both his ears and head swerved upward from his position when he heard his name called.  
The only way to describe this situation was: awkward.

The tiger stared at him with an indescribable look not but a foot away as he stared back at her while still laying down. And just to add to the whole unusualness, she was holding the plush version of himself to boot.  
Just the reminder he needed.

Shifu found himself feeling very embarrassed. He lifted one paw, the other still held the toy. "Ti-Tigress this isn't...This isn't what it looks like!" Every bit of the element of surprise he had was gone, she'd seen her present. Her master cuddling her present!  
Why couldn't he have just been knocked out in a coma by Monkey last month!? That would be better than this!!

She squeezed the red panda plush in her hold, eyes darting away for only a second. "It's okay."  
"Huh?"  
The tiger shifted her feet. "Mr. Ping sometimes holds Po's old stuff to make him feel better. It only makes sense you'd do that with Tai Lung's things."  
Shifu blinked. He blinked twice from his casual position on the ground.

That was alot to process. 

"This isn't his...toy." The old master shuffled himself off the ground, well halfway off. He patted the ground next to him with the tiger plush in his lap. "Tai didn't have that many toys." He noted offhandedly. "Oh and sorry for calling you Tigress."  
"He didn't?" The tiger sat down and leaned against the trunk of the tree. "And it's fine. I mix it up too sometimes."   
To be honest, it was strange thinking about his son again after so long. He pushed the memories away for so long since he knew he'd never return. "No, the world and I were mostly his toys." He unconsciously touched his mustache. "Although he did have a blanket he loved." 

Blue eyes looked over to the feline seated next to him, she no longer huddled herself to her knees when she sat here with him. She looked relaxed.   
"He said he loved it because it smelt like me." For some reason, he couldn't help but laugh at the memory. He asked his son one night when he slipped into his bed.  
She blew away one small petal. "I can understand that." 

"Care to explain?" He watched it flutter to the ground.  
"Oh uh..." Her gaze fell for a moment in thought, claws flexing over the plush's waist. "Things with scents of the people I care about on them are special. Even when they're not there I can still smell them as if they were." Chunhau turned her head away slightly. "Sorry if that's weird."  
"It's not weird it's just different and there's nothing wrong with that." He supposed this should be expected from felines. "Here, this has my scent all over it so I suppose that should make it more special to you."

The way her head ever so slowly turned to regard him and the plush almost made him want to laugh again. "Me?"  
Somehow he held it in. "Yes, you. Happy birthday." The red panda held the tiger plush towards her with both hands. It was the least he could do.  
"But you already gave me that ball." Despite her statement, she still sat aside her Shifu plush and took the small tiger from him.  
She inspected it.

"The ball was just a bonus while I was out. I wanted to get you another plush since you like that one." Shifu leaned on his hand, watching her touch and feel it just as she did her presents earlier.   
He watched her touch and tug on its tail, and when she was done with that she looked and pressed its paws with her own. It was entertaining seeing her so fascinated with it.  
Maybe that theory Crane was reading about was right. "Are you happy with it?"  
Chunhau only nodded. 

"I'm glad about that." There was no breeze to carry the silence between them but maybe it wasn't needed. Even though that lonely feeling continued to swim in his consciousness it wasn't as bad as earlier. "I'm glad I could do this for you even if I'm not your father anymore."  
In time, he'd let go. That was just how it was, emotions like these never just disappeared overnight.   
He closed his eyes, not for meditation but mostly because he was tired. The day was catching up to him.

His ears had already picked up her sudden movements, the felines steps on all fours were so quiet yet detectable. He didn't move, there was no need too.   
What he didn't expect was the sudden weight on his head. He could hear her breathing.  
"No matter how many changes happen in my life... You'll always be apart of my life." This was the quiet tone he had gotten used too from her. "The first one who wanted me when no one else did."  
His hand squeezed his cheek when she said that. They all knew the story very well, she was the last one left and only he took her to the palace.   
He could now tell it was her paw on his head. "I came out here to find you. I wanted to thank you even though it hurts to think we aren't family anymore. But even then..." Her paw slid off the side of his head. 

He opened his eyes to see her move yet again.  
Chunhau hugged him. "I don't hate this outcome since you turned me into something acceptable, respectable even when I could have turned out much worse in this world."   
She relaxed in his hold as he hugged her back. "You gave me the gift of not only a future but a family."

Maybe.

"You were already acceptable. Even if the world never accepted you." My, how complicated he was. First swearing at the goose and now crediting him with a smile. "It just took a little help from a noodle shop owner to show me what you needed to be you."

The tiger and red panda plush sat together side by side smiling under the bright summer stars of the night.

Maybe there was no such thing as being a great adult. 

~

_Even when our time is fading, I'll keep everything so we don't disappear._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congrats on making it to the finale! I still can't believe I published a story I didn't even get beta read, only grammly and word pad saw this piece before you!  
> Let's start with the notes before I go on about non-important things:   
> \- First, name meanings: Chunhau means Spring flower. I actually picked this name because at first I thought it meant "blooming flower", this is why you triple check things but I still felt it fit overall with what I wanted. I wanted our Tigress to grow little by little and open up like a blooming flower in spring. Also it's cute sounding and that nickname was too adorable to pass up.   
> Suan can mean you are a diligent and persevering worker who enjoys doing a job well and finishing what is started. I thought that really fit our favorite noodle owner.  
> \- As much as I want to say I picked 8/14 for some super deep reason. I did not I just wanted her to be a Leo. That's it.  
> \- Some of the lines in this story are from the song "21:29" by Twice. I'd recommend listening to it while reading this or Remember the time by Micheal Jackson as well. I found myself leaning on that song a bit while writing this.  
> \- Again, if you read the notes from previous chapters, you'll know I looked into Chinese fashion. I tried to keep it by era but well I'm only human. I picked the Tang suit because well it looked cool as for the color its just for good luck.  
> I believe that's everything. There will be no previews this time since the epilogue is still in the works so Thank you for reading.   
> And see ya later.


	7. I won't be indecisive in the middle of the forked road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue.

**~1 year later~**

It had been one whole year since that summer where she celebrated her first birthday with her family, another birthday party had passed and now she was a year older as autumn began changing the landscape around the village.   
So many things had changed, things that felt out of reach were there for the taking! It almost felt like the colors of fall was imitating all the beautiful changes in her life.

Chunhau was nothing like Tigress, she had gained the individuality she wanted and more! It had started with the frequency in cooking lessons she took with her father, brother, and Monkey. Even if the simian got mad whenever she snacked during said lessons. It seemed like she had a knack for sweets.

Earlier this year the tiger had even made Shifu almond cookies for his birthday. It was the least she could do for him after what he'd done for her.  
She kicked the ball absentmindedly, lazily performing tricks she had become accustomed too overtime. Her body twisted as she followed the ball in order for it not to fall.  
Like the leaves of the season...

"See ya Chu!"   
Chunhau looked up towards the voice, bumping the softball with her tail before answering. "Ah, see you later Huan!" She waved goodbye to the young leopard.  
The ball hit the ground hard behind her as she watched her friend leave.

_To think they had met by chance a few months ago, this was another startling change in her life. Po had invited Mantis and herself to play in the fields rather than in the court. He had said the weather was too good to ignore during spring._  
_It seemed other people had a similar idea._

_They had gotten to the fields rather early to play a simple game of Cuju, it had taken her awhile to learn it but thankfully she had a good big brother who didn't mind getting hit in the head with a ball._

_Multiple times._

_They were so focused on their game and scoring over the other they hadn't noticed the audience that grew around them. It was then she slowed down after doing a pretty impressive back dribbling along with a instep kick to score a goal. "WOAH! You're getting so good at this Chu! High paw!"_

_As soon as their paws connected it was then her eyes wandered on her, unlike other leopards her coat was a lighter color with the same spots only a leopard could wear. It was as if she was covered in soft white snow._  
_And her smile, along with those bright eyes that were directed squarely at the tiger._

_The smiling leopard was the first to approach with a spring in her step, never hesitating or giving a second thought to who she was approaching._  
_And then she introduced herself and asked a question she simply could not refuse:_  
_"My name's Huan. Would you like to join our Cuju team?" Her bright smile entrapped her soul and all she could do was nod before this leopardess' sweet voice._

The wind blew softly, reminding her that soon it would be too cold to wear her sleeveless shirts. Not that she minded, she'd made quite a collection of long changshan in her wardrobe.

Chunhau's ears perked at the sound of steps. "Hey," Her head turned to regard the panda. "I didn't make you wait long did I?" Come to think of it, she wasn't the only one that changed, Po had started wearing more and better clothes, mostly white and gold shirts and pants. Only during training did he discard the top. His old pants were gone.  
"No, were you and Crane working late again?" 

He picked up the ball that she had let fall earlier, throwing it up and down a few times. "Is it that obvious?" As soon as the ball dropped back into his palm he threw it straight at her without much force. She could tell he was a little tired. "My posable figures were a bigger hit than I thought they would be...especially with Crane helping me."  
"It shouldn't be a shock." The tiger didn't catch the ball merely hit it upward so she could kick it around again. "You and Crane are talented and no one else made them with as much detail as you two do. Although I can't imagine doing that along with helping out Shifu." She began there trek home while still juggling the ball.

"Don't remind me about that!" The panda was practically begging with his anguished face. He dramatically sighed. "There's too much paperwork for such simple little things! Also, stop showing off."  
Chunhau purposely twirled as she kicked the ball up from her ankle. "I have no idea what you are talking about." The tiger made a show of shuffling around while she waited for the ball to fall back down.

"Seriously stop before you get hurt, you need to focus on your surroundings." The panda huffed, picking up his pace towards his sister. "I'm gonna take that thing from you."  
There. Her eyes picked the ball out in the evening sky, she was gearing up for a front kick along with a nice flip she'd been practicing with Huan. "Yes, yes Master Po. I hear yo-" 

When she kicked upward her foot did not meet the ball she was focused on and her ears were filled with a familiar shout of pain.  
The tiger had kicked Po straight under his chin, she was so mortified by the sight she didn't even catch herself as they both fell to the ground.

The ball soon followed after them...

~

_It seems my personality won't ever change..._

~

"Po I'm so sorry!"

"I'm sorry!"  
The Dragon warrior placed his paw up before the frantic tiger before him. Sometimes he still couldn't believe was his sibling now. "Chu, I'm fine. And I'm not mad at you okay?" He couldn't help but touch his jaw that was now tied up for safe measure. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have gotten so close to you while you were playing."  
To think, the roles were reversed not but a year ago. Man time sure does fly...

"Still..." The tiger did not seem comforted by his words if anything she looked even more down with her ears drooping. "I should have listened to you."   
They were currently seated in his room, well there room now. Renovations had been done on the shop and now they could actually walk in here without hunching and it was a tad bit wider. There was even a slightly more private bath in the back now!

The bed creaked under their shared weight on it. 

Po placed his paw atop Chunhau's downcast head, ruffling her fur in the process. Despite her rather mature and responsible outlook, he learned quickly she had her childish moments which seemed to appear even more lately. "It's better to learn from your mistakes than to not." He didn't want her to lose the joy she was expressing after most likely stifling it over a small mistake. "Besides, that was a pretty sick kick you did there." 

The feline was practically leaning into his paw. "You think so?"   
"Of course! When has your big bro ever lied to you?" He gave her one last pat before leaning back on the bed, elbows propping him up. At least the throbbing stopped.

"Well..."  
"Don't answer that."

~

_I'll continue doing the kinds of plays to the audience I like._

~

Sometimes, the red panda was glad he left the palace more often now.   
It was hard to imagine now that around this time he would be up there among the peach trees petals meditating the evening away only leaving when something came up.  
Now? Ever since Tigress had been adopted he had alot more free time to actually think about his past actions even on Tai Lung without feeling utter pain and loneliness.

His blue eyes looked upon the village, it looked the same as it did every day. And yet he knew in his soul that every person that made the valley what it is, was undergoing changes in their lives. Just as he was.

Shifu was no longer a father. 

He had accepted that fact after awhile, it took a few months to realize he was once again alone after feeling he had to make it up to Tigress so that maybe neither would have to be.   
It was strange...  
The old master stopped before the noodle shop, regarding its new exterior. It was far more vibrant than a year ago. The dull tiles on the roof were now red.  
A lucky color.

Unlike the night of her first birthday, he didn't feel lonely or empty about the situation it was quite the opposite this time he hadn't failed his child. This time he didn't make this his own sacrifice instead of tackling the issue at hand.   
This time he took true responsibility for what he had started and asked for help.

"Huh?" His foot stepped on something small and smooth. He took a step back away from it to see what it was but he had a hunch already.  
It was the blue ball that he'd gotten Chunhau for her birthday.  
It was Friday so it was understandable that it would be here. They'd all come to an agreement that she would spend the weekends here with her father so that she could spend quality time with her family.

A sigh escaped the red panda as he picked it up, looking up to see the light shining from upstairs to see two shadows moving about before he entered the establishment.  
Sometimes, Shifu regretted ever letting those two become siblings. It was like he had connected two pieces that made a key to unlock and release chaos itself upon the universe.

They drove him crazy!

It was either Po attempting a very stupid stunt with good intentions and Chunhau, of course, was not far behind somehow getting entangled in it all and making it worse.  
Or it was the tiger herself merely wanting to play, whether it was a lack of attention or stimulus she seemed to always find a way to create her own creative messes with all the toys she'd been showered with. Of course, the Dragon Warrior couldn't possibly miss a chance at adding his own collection and noises to the fray which just delighted her beyond words.

He still had nightmares about slipping on all those toys when he least expected it.   
But there was a part of him that didn't mind it too much, it was a good thing and a heartwarming sight to see her so comfortably do what she couldn't in that awful orphanage.

And Crane along with Mr. Ping made sure she could.   
It seemed ever since her first birthday, the avian was on top of what she needed in order to be the best Chunhau she wanted to be!  
In short, he'd gotten carried away with those child development scrolls, that author he loved was churning them out like hotcakes and he was following his word as if they were heaven's law itself. He even got Mr. Ping and Viper hooked on them!

From then on she had everything a kid could possibly ask for: instruments, figures, sets of all kinds so she could explore different experiences that caught her fancy. You name it, she has it. Crane had gone so far to write Mei Ling to ask her what was best for a young feline.

Shifu soon learned she was just as bad as him.  
They truly deserved each other and would most likely become perfect parents at this rate!

He didn't want to admit it but these scrolls, no matter how annoying they were worded, **worked**! That Tiger plush, who was now named Ruby, he had gotten her did help. She loved it, carries it around the palace and brushes it with the utmost care. The toy that looked like her had affected her in a positive way.  
So that was why he was making himself come to these...sigh...

Book meetings...

"So, how far did you get this week Mr. Ping?"  
"We almost made it to the end! I and Po could barely stop reading it after I got him into it." The old goose laughed. "Chunhau fell asleep while we read it though. It was so late I barely got any sleep myself."

"I know that feeling. My candle burned out completely while I was reading once..." Viper nodded from beside him with a sheepish smile.   
The three were talking about a romance novel, the author who he now knew was named **Lijie** had written in the past before he found his calling of writing for new parents. They were mostly biding for time waiting for the last member to arrive.

"You know I still can't believe he's a wolf." The old master commented offhandedly, he wasn't really interested in the novel but was making attempts as of late to at least participate more in their conversations.  
He found out about the author's origins from looking at the very ends of a scroll he'd been recommended that had a picture of him.

"Yeah, he talked about hiding his identity early on in his later novels but soon found that he had a duty to show people that even wolves had a place in the arts." Crane nodded with his eyes closed clearly mulling over the message. "He made me realize representation was far more important than we realize it is."

"It made me so sad reading his notes..." Viper leaned her head on the edge of her tail with a clear frown. "And the fact, he did it for his kids too, so they could have a positive role model simply broke my heart. That's alot of pressure to put on yourself."

The red panda turned his head to see Mr. Ping wiping his eyes with his feather, clearly also moved by the topic.

"Crane, do you remember what you told me last year?" Maybe, seeing that old ball he'd brought was making him a little nostalgic. This wasn't a bad thing but it made him realize that the avian had helped him alot more than he had thought.  
"Hmmm?" Crane tilted his head in thought, wings to his sides as he tried to remember. "I said alot last year you'll have to be more specific."

A small smile he tried to hold back appeared on his face. 'Okay, that was a little funny.' He had to admit to himself. "Well, when I asked you what you were reading once, you brought up these authors work to me and told me children need toys that look like them, and that they affect them positively."  
His claws tapped against the rolled-up scroll in his lap. "And this conversation reminded me of how long it took me to find Ruby in that section of toys. It was the only feline plush I could find and it was all the way in the back of the shelf. It was...frustrating." The master admitted to the small group.

It was then Viper piped up. "Honestly, my mother made all if not most of my plush toys or dolls, we rarely brought any like that."  
"I actually found a small snake plush in there before the tiger."

"Now that you mention it..." Ping chimed in after being rather quiet. "Po never really made anything in his own image when he was younger and yet when he found that panda plush. He just seems lighter?" The goose spoke the last word in an unsure manner. "I'm not sure if that makes sense?"  
"No, no. It makes sense. I thought the same when I gave Chunhau that plush." The memories of that day flooded his thoughts. "I'm not sure what it is but that type of thing can make someone happier." His ears twitched to a familiar sound of fast feet.

"Hey, guys! Sorry, I'm late had to help Ms. Yuan with a broken cartwheel again." The bug shook his head as he walked upon the table he jumped on. "I keep telling her she needs to get a new one already." He paused, looking around for a moment. "What are you all talking about?"

"Don't tell me you started without me!?"

"No, we didn't Mantis." The reptile rolled her eyes at the insect's assumption.

"Actually, we were talking about a pretty great topic I was about to add too." Crane moved his wing in front of himself as if to show his energy. "Master Shifu, I told you that because I thought it was something important for a teacher to know because if we ever get students of other species besides the usual rabbits and geese." His yellow eyes looked downward. "I want them to feel like despite their differences that they can do whatever they put their mind too. Even if it's difficult."

Shifu looked at the avian with wide eyes, that was rather insightful for such a young man. It reminded him of Oogway in the beginning when they had an even more diverse bunch of animals around them. They all struggled with different concepts and moves and yet, the old turtle kept encouraging them to do their best.  
In their own way.

_"The secret ingredient is nothing."_  
Wait a minute...

"You were reading that to become a better teacher and not a father?" Shifu blurted out without thinking.   
Mantis and even Viper also looked shocked by this new revelation. Mr. Ping looked like he was keeping his mouth shut to watch the ensuing chaos he had started...

"Ar-Are you serious?" Crane looked at him with an irritated look that only seemed to make his feathers puff up the more he looked at the red panda. "Why would you believe Mantis' stupid rumor about me!? That doesn't even make sense! I haven't seen Mei ling in person for almost three years!"  
"I...honestly assumed you two were planning on adopting..." Viper added shyly as she tried to coil herself to hide away from the huffy avian.

"There's no way we could handle adoption with the long-distance relationship we have along with our current jobs!"  
Mantis rubbed his thingies together nervously. "I just assumed with how happy you two were together it was bound to happen...Sorry man."

"I didn't even know Mantis was talking about you like that I just..." Oh god, he was really digging himself into a deeper ditch. "...assumed you were reading a child development scroll to prepare you for...you know..."

The disappointed glare he saw from Crane clearly pointed at him made him feel like a scolded child all over again at sixty years old, silencing him on the spot.  
Maybe he would be fine without a scroll.

~

_I might be able to grab it._

~

He could hear Chunhau toss and turn in her bed holding her tiger plush tight.  
She couldn't sleep...

He noted with a feeling of worry, recently she could sleep fine by herself but it seemed like these past few months her nightmares of Gongmen had resurfaced. Every now and then he'd either wake up to feel paws touching above his heart or she would peek into his room at the palace to check on him.

To make sure he was alive.

He'd given her the spot near the window after renovations, saying he wanted her to appreciate the view he got too as a kid. Plus with the added space he didn't mind sleeping on the other side especially since he rarely slept here on the weekends.  
It kind of felt like he'd given her a hand me down.

And then, Po suddenly turned around, feeling eyes on him. "What are you still doing up?"  
She immediately closed her eyes.  
He genuinely chuckled at her actions. "I can see your eyes glow in the dark, stop acting."

"What are you still doing up?" She mimicked him, it was a bad habit she was picking up.  
"Don't mimic me to avoid the question."  
Her eyes turned to slits at that. "You do it to other people all the time..."   
"No, I do it to villains." He corrected her with a claw pointed her way. "That's different."

They were both silents after that, the only sound he could hear was the movement of a few older villagers closing their windows outside. Signaling it was growing too cold to leave them open anymore.

The young tiger slipped out of her bed on all fours towards him, Ruby caught in her mouth in the process. The panda hadn't realized how comfortable she had gotten lately, his father certainly never pointed it out although it wasn't a surprise.  
Since in a way he did similar to him too. Just allowed them both to be as they were. A panda that needed to eat and a tiger who simply wanted to feel the ground beneath her paws as they were intended too.

He felt her plop herself right next to him, leaning on his arm heavily whilst letting her plush fall in her lap.  
"Is it those nightmares again?" He couldn't help but ask, maybe it was just anxiety but he wanted to be able to check on her before those feelings overwhelmed her completely.  
His jade eyes watched the candle before his scroll flicker.  
"No." Came her quiet answer. 

After that, he waited for her to gather all her thoughts up. It was the best way to get her to talk since Chu was so used to being the listener in these types of situations.   
"Po?"  
"Uh huh?"  
In a matter of seconds, she moved from her spot beside him, sitting squarely in front of him and on some of his papers. Yellow orbs stared back into his eyes.  
It was then he noticed, she was holding the little tiger's paw into her own while holding it.  
"You're not leaving are you?"

Po raised a brow at that. Why would she ask such a thing? "Uh...What do you mean?"  
Ah, there was that pout. It usually meant 'It's obvious Po! How could you be so dense!?' 

"You, Crane and even Viper are trying to become teachers lately." Chunhau's amber eyes flickered to the papers to the side of her. They were schedules and topics to go over for classes of each level from beginner to expert. "And Papa wants us to take a picture all together again this Sunday..."

Oh. OH. **OOOOOOH.**

The dragon warrior stared at his little sister with wide eyes and a shocked open mouth that could rival Crane's, now he understood. In a way, it did kind of look like he was preparing for a job to go elsewhere in the future and the picture could be seen as a goodbye gift. And not to mention he was at that age to actually do such a thing, even Shifu had suggested it to him at one point so he could acquire better opportunities and experience.

"I'm not going anywhere!" He spoke quickly to assure her before taking a breather to actually explain himself. "I mean I don't want to go anywhere, I can't speak for the others but I'd rather just teach at the palace to help Shifu out. And besides..." His eyes fell to the papers on the floor along with her, it all made him remember the night he had made a decision. "Shifu told me, this was the next step in my training well outside Chi. I wanted to change."

For you.   
It was strange to say out loud to her especially now. After all that happened last year he was really responsible for her now as an older sibling. He wanted to help Chunhau be happy and do what made her happy. Not what she had been told or thought she could do best.  
That small ember of a thought bloomed into an ambition to spread a similar sentiment to other people who may feel like her. He wanted everyone to feel like they were a Dragon warrior whether it be in kung fu or not. 

His gaze finally lifted up from the papers to look upon her downcast face, the glow of her eyes seemed so bright.   
"I don't think I could teach as you all can..." She held onto Ruby somehow tighter. "I don't know if I want too, I don't know what I want unlike the rest of you. I don't want you all to leave."

Po, who had once looked towards this young woman as an idol now as the person who came to him when her emotions ran wild. "C'mere." He moved forward to close the small distance between them and wrapped his arms around the tiger to pull her off his papers and near him. 

This was yet another hurdle she had to overcome, for so long she'd been subjected to abuse and neglect. It was only til now, could she really choose her path and she was rightfully intimidated by it. "You're only 22, you have all the time in the world to figure out what you want to do, okay?"  
Chunhau hugged him back, leaning on his shoulder. 

"And you, me and Dad will figure it out together. You won't be alone."

~

Mr. Ping yawned under his soft, comfy sheets.  
It was Saturday, a day he now spent with his children rather than working early in the morning. With how business was going he was far more stable than he used to be which gave him time to relax.

Despite that, something did seem amiss.

Ah, right. He was in bed alone. The goose had gotten so used to Chunhau finding her way in here, it was a miracle when she wasn't.

"Goodness..." He rolled to his right side, looking into his closed window as light peaked through the shades. His eyes drooped, threatening to fall back to sleep.  
Being alone made him remember that first night she slept in her new home after they decided the weekend was for them. Po had told him a week prior, she had a habit of not sleeping by herself. It was either a nightmare plaguing her or she was simply lonely and unsure of what to do with herself. He'd caught her a few times, sitting up staring into nothing yet something had her attention late into the night.

He would come in and lay by her until she fell asleep when it would happen, sometimes they'd talk about how she felt or looked upon the stars in the sky. Either way, it always ended with him never going back to his own room like he always told himself.  
The goose wondered if maybe she was just too used to the thin paper walls of the dorm or simply couldn't stand the thought of being separated from others as she had in that orphanage...

He got up slowly, not really feeling like going back to sleep.

Mr. Ping walked to the room across from his own, opening the door slightly as to not wake them up. He was welcomed by the sight of Po laid upon his old bed with Chunhau right under his left arm, practically using him as a pillow with Ruby being squished in the middle.

He couldn't help but smile at the sight.

~

_Because I didn't want to be hated. I put up with him and as a result, I regret that and I'm kind of pissed off._

~

Mr. Ping found himself slowly descending down the steps, feeling along the wall instead of the railing on the side.   
These walls despite being new had already seen there fair share of memories and troubles.

A cool breeze tickled his feathers as he leaned upon the counter of his shop, gazing at the dining area. Slow moments like this could be good every now and then, it gave him time to reflect and be grateful for everything he had.

His eyes fell upon the pictures he always kept on the wall of his kitchen, that would never change. There were not only pictures of both himself and Po, but also Chunhau. He was quick to get pictures with her since apparently outside a few official portraits requested by Oogway, and of course posters and illustrations, she didn't have many pictures of herself just living.

_A growing, happy family._

He picked one up with a smile, this was from last winter when they spent their first winter festival together. She was so hesitant about making her lantern, so he sat with her and painted his own with her. The artist had captured even the specks of paint on both of them and the bright expression on her face when she was presented her piece to him.

_Even when things didn't go there way..._

"Gods, I remember this one..." He muttered it was a picture of them on a field with the ball expertly gripped into her paw next to him. The goose shook his head, the tiger had been so mad at him when he missed one of her games. Not surprisingly, she'd run off to Shifu when it happened.  
Shifu had even joked that steam would come out of her ears if it could.

After his two day punishment of the silent treatment, they finally talked one late evening making the sweet water chestnut cake she loved. He had listened to Mantis when he'd suggested about adding desserts to his menu permanently.  
Baking was an activity both Chunhau and he found they loved dearly.

The pace of it all seemed to calm them both down, after that he'd never missed a single of her games he was invited too. No matter how busy the shop was!  
He plucked the third picture up next. And this one...

"Mornin Papa..." He looked back to see a yawn escape the tiger as she stretched and made her way down the steps, another set of yawns and scratches followed behind her.  
'Like clockwork...' He thought to himself.  
"Morning..." Another large yawn came from the panda before. "...Dad. What are you up too?"

"Good morning you two. Ah, nothing just reminiscing." He sat the photo aside already knowing they were hungry and ready for breakfast. The old goose could feel his own stomach rumble too.  
It seems, he was ready for breakfast too.

He gazed into the pot on the far right of his kitchen, he'd already deemed clean from the night before but there was no harm in double checking. A spoon was soon in his hand scrapping about the top of the broth for anything that shouldn't be there.

He could hear Po pick up and pull on the dough they had worked on yesterday into the beautiful noodles they needed. 

And then Chunhau was already working on the vegetables they needed, his brown eyes couldn't help but watch her a bit while he stirred. She'd gotten so much better at cutting them traditionally, even if she wasn't the fastest yet, the most important part was that she cut them cleanly.   
One memory he wanted to leave behind was when she had the bright idea of cutting vegetables with her claws. **No.**  
Mr. Ping had stepped back as soon as Po signaled he was ready to place the noodles in his broth. The tiger soon followed with pushing her vegetables into the pot soon after.

It was a nice relaxing pace.

A smile spread upon his face as he looked into the mix of there work swirling about under his care as he added spice after spice too it. Every little piece was needed to make it something special.

"Can I help with the noodles next time?" The noodle owner heard his daughter ask Po.   
"Sure! Kneading isn't easy though. It took me years to master it!" He didn't even have to look to know his energetic son was making wild gestures. "But don't worry I have some tricks to help ya!"

The bowls were already thankfully lined up as he filled all three of them up with grace.  
No matter how many times he looked upon their smiles, it was always special even a year later. Mr. Ping soon took his seat next to them, on one of the dining tables outside. Not yet touching his noodles.

Alot had transpired these past few months, it had really changed him from who he was before. From taking in Chunhau and helping the tiger find her way to worrying for his son and his own identity in this small, small world...

To live truly as yourself.

The third one was a recent picture of both Po and Chunhau smiling at the moment of her 22nd birthday party.

"You know what?" He started without much thought, making the two pause with noodles in their mouths. Po was the only one who continued to slurp and chew despite his eyes being on him. Chunhau had opted to bite and lower hers.  
He too would live as honestly as his children did, as he wanted them to be so they could be happy even for just a moment. This was something he wanted to start, that he put aside many years ago for his father.

"Who wants Tofu?"

~  
_Life is good for some reasons_

~  
It had turned cloudy all of a sudden.  
The wind blew his fur with a cool touch to his skin.  
Autumn's cool weather was ready to fall upon the valley it seemed, even he could feel it was growing cooler last night. Soon, he'd have to pull out extra blankets and thicker robes.

Shifu sat under the protection of the outstretched roof of the palace, thankful he could sit on the front instead of going inside fully. Here, he could view the whole yard and front gate if anything came up.

The old master was at the Palace alone. Crane, Viper, and Mantis had all gone on patrol despite this being there day off. He couldn't entirely blame them, tensions were high after the attack from the now defeated Shen and his pack of bandits.   
No one wanted to be caught complacent again.

As for Monkey as much as he wanted to go, he had a few things he wanted to pick up from the store but promised to meet up with them soon.  
And that was why he was here outside. Although, that reasoning was starting to change with how the sky looked...  
At least he knew Chunhau and Po were safe at home.

His ear twitched at a familiar sound, it flicked about twice just to make sure it was in fact who he thought it was.  
It flickered a third time, notifying him that there was a second sound of huffing and puffing up the steps. "What the?" He turned his sights from the sky to the gate just in time to catch an umbrella peaking from the top.

"Come on! You can make it!"

It was Chunhau who said that as she skipped up the steps with the umbrella wide above her head. It seemed like she had a scarf on? It was only after about a minute or two did he finally see who trailed behind her.

It was Mr. Ping! 

The poor old goose looked like he was deflating as he made that last step and flopped to the ground like a sack of potatoes! Somehow his hat had managed to stay put...  
Chunhau looked like she had just won something.

While he was baffled by the physics of his friend's hat, the dragon warrior had finally dragged himself up the steps. Literally.  
The panda was pulling his way up with his arms, crawling that last bit of distance before flopping next to his father. "Ugh..." Po's groans of fatigue mixed with father's.  
They looked like they were actually related right then and there.

"I knew it!" The tiger whipped the umbrella closed and brought it to the ground as if she was holding down a sword on a battlefield in victory. "I called Papa beating you up the steps so now you owe a week's worth of cookies!"  
The exhausted panda looked even more pained at that comment. "Mercy." He called.

Monkey would have been proud of this display.

"I'm...huff...never...going up...huff...those...steps...again..." Mr. Ping was still flat on the ground, most likely glued to it after all that. Now that he thought about it the goose had rarely ever been up here.  
He might have to change that in the future.

Having had enough of watching afar, Shifu decided to finally greet the now rather infamous Ping family. Upon close inspection, they all had scarfs on Po was the only exception with the knitted hat he had seen him wear at the winter solstice last winter.

"Good morning Master." The tiger respectfully bowed after helping her father up in a more comfortable position. He could now see the backpack she was sporting better.  
He bowed back to her already feeling a smile gracing his face. He hadn't noticed how easily it came up nowadays. "Good morning to you all aswell. What do I owe the honor of this visit?"

Master Chunhau looked like she was about to answer but Po had found himself sitting upwards. He was recovering more quickly by the day. "I forgot some papers in my dorm and well...Dad and Chu wanted to come along." The panda looked rather sheepish at that moment.

"You and your family are always welcomed to the Jade Palace." He assured the Dragon Warrior, the palace itself was open to the public anyways so allowing a family of the masters was never too big of a deal. "And this is a good opportunity for your father to see the place you both train in-"

A stray droplet of water fell upon his head interrupting him.  
Chunhau had the umbrella back open within seconds above her and her father's body.

The rain crashed upon their scurrying bodies without remorse.

~

_My life belongs to me_

~

They watched as the rain pours down, puddles had already formed around the once dry dirt yard. It looked muddy and soupy.

Chunhau looked to her partially soaked brother, attempting to keep pity clear out of her eyes and voice. "Here. You need this more than I do." She extended her paw with the soaked umbrella that had partially protected her from the water.  
The way he looked her way made her feel like she hadn't succeeded in that front. With a sigh and shake of his head, he took it from with a small thanks. "Well, I can't let a little rain stop the dragon warrior now huh?"

He was about to take off before her father spoke up. "Po! Are you sure you want to go out in all of that!?" He even gestured to the front of the palace for emphasis. The dorms path was outside and he would have to walk down and up the path to get to them.  
Basically he'd be dosed with or without the umbrella.  
She watched as his emerald eyes stared back and forth from the rain back to Mr. Ping well more than eight times. "I-I'm sure. If it gets too bad I'll just stay in the dorm and dry off..."

"Be careful on those stones, Dragon Warrior," Shifu commented as he attempted to dry his head off with part of his robe. He looked miserable.  
"Gotcha!" And with that the panda was gone, sprinting and screaming through the rain under the umbrella.

Her tail flickered as she watched him go with a small laugh. 

"Weren't you all supposed to be taking a picture today?" She heard her master speak up mostly to her father.   
"No, that's tomorrow but..." Her amber eyes finally looked in Mr. Ping's direction as he paused. "We might have to cancel if this keeps up. Although..." His voice and face turned to an expression that she knew all too well. He had an extravagant idea that could potentially uplift his shop. "...imagine taking a family photo up here or maybe even at the Peachtree as petals fall."

He looked so enraptured in his fantasy.  
"That's the **sacred** peach tree." She interjected.

"I'd absolutely frame it in my shop." He continued as if the word sacred had not just been uttered. "The people would ask 'My, Mr. Ping where on earth did you take that stunning photo?" He was going full swing with this scenario as he moved about the cool stone floor of the front of the palace. Gesturing this and that way. "They'll be shocked when I say it's from the _Jade Palace_."

The goose was about to make a very abrupt turn before being stopped by the red panda's staff lightly to his waist. "Don't use such a sacred place as an excuse to brag to your neighbors." The master lightly chided with a soft chuckle. "At least now I know where Po gets his wild imagination and energy from."  
She was about to feel shocked at the fact he wasn't extremely annoyed by this behavior but once again the realization that Shifu had changed was becoming clear. He was amused by it, she noted.

"I guess in a way I can be blamed for that." Mr. Ping laughed as he sat beside Shifu. A comfortable silence had fallen between them as the rain continued to pour. And without hesitation, the goose looked towards her. "Come over here." He insisted with his wing patting the ground beneath him.

She walked towards them a bit faster than she wanted too but all in all it didn't matter. She was just happy to be with them. Chunhau slides the backpack off her back before sitting down in the middle of them, her feet just an inch away from the downpour.

"Papa, is it alright if I take out some of the tofu?" It was nowhere near lunch but she wanted some more of it since it had tasted so good. A little droplet fell upon her foot,  
It seemed she'd woken him from his thoughts before that familiar smile appeared on his face. "Of course! Actually, we should eat it before it gets soggy. Shifu do you want some?" She was already rustling through the backpack for the medium sized box they put it in. 

"I would. I haven't had anything to eat yet." Shifu quietly admitted.   
The tiger turned her head to regard the old red panda beside her. "You really need to stop doing that." She commented as she opened the box letting the scent of tofu fill the air around them and handing chopsticks to the both of them.

"I know. I know. Oh." She watched the surprise on his face at the tofu before them. This wasn't the regular kind they were used too at all. Usually, they would both eat plain tofu since it was generally healthy. This tofu, however, had a reddish color to them and looked almost tender. Chunhau took a bite of her own while she watched him.  
"I didn't even know you made tofu, Ping." The old master followed soon after his student, picking up the small square and tasting it.

Mr. Ping chuckled more lightly than he ever had as if he was lost in thought. "I don't often but I do enjoy it. I even wanted to make it as a professional once."  
"You used soy sauce for this!?" The red panda was already eating a second one. He was enjoying it with each 'mmm' sound.

And a third for her. "You did?" She asked with a slight cover of her mouth as she chewed. He had never really spoken to her about that, she had assumed all he ever wanted to make was noodles and the occasional cake.  
"Yes and yes." He answered both of them before finally taking his own piece. "When I was young and cra-When I was young...I wanted to make tofu but I chose to make noodles for my father." 

After Shifu was done indulging his fourth cube. "I think you should continue making it, this is delicious. And even then...you can add it since it is your shop." It kind of sounded like a nonphysical nudge from the master.

Chunhau tilted her head at her father, tofu all but forgotten. "I thought to make noodles made you happy?" His look somewhat reminded her of when Shifu had waited for her to let him go.

"They both do." He commented quickly before taking a bit more tofu for himself as he looked from the high up view the palace provided. She looked outwards beside him, it was a beautiful sight even with all this rain and fog. Such small things she took for granted. "It just took me awhile to realize that joy was still there even as I worked."

"That's how I feel about my flute sometimes." The old red panda commented as he sat his chopsticks on top of an empty edge of the box. "At times I don't know if I love it or just use it as a pass time more than anything."

'Even Mr. Ping and Shifu questioned what brought them joy even after all these years.' Before this, she would assume such a thought was unrealistic but maybe people didn't just stick to one thing forever. No matter how much they loved it. 

Change was a never-ending cycle with each ending provided a new beginning.

Chunhau urged her father with a paw to get some more tofu, he played along. 

The rain soon died down with only a slight drizzle accompanying the sound of a large panda lumbering back to his family.

"I know for a fact I love this the most."

~

_No matter what people tell me, this feeling is unshakable_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay~ We made it! Congrats to me! And you too cause I love you, random reader. I can't believe we made it all the way to the end I wanted! That rarely happens around here. Anyways onto the Notes!  
> \- While proofreading this I recently rewatched some scenes from the first movie to double check you know? I realized I misremembered a line really badly. I thought Mr. Ping had said "When I was young I used to dream of baking" but it was actually tofu so I went ooc without even realizing it. Ain't that funny? Tigress favorite food is tofu and Mr. Ping wanted to make tofu, I missed a super canon way of getting them to interact. But hey it worked out a lil.  
> \- I know people don't like the "bro" "sis" thing siblings call each other in fanfics, neither do I sense I have two older siblings BUT I saw Shazam recently and it melted my heart when Darla said she was a good sister and referred to Billy as a brother so let it slide for adopted kids this time!  
> \- Lijie means "understanding" or "comprehension". I can't actually say I put thought into this small bit beside the fact I only wanted to give Crane a cute hobby outside calligraphy as you can see I ended up giving him two hobbies for his possible future as a teacher. Since considering his backstory he would want to make classes/courses more suitable for different species so they don't struggle as much as he did at first.  
> \- I'm so sorry Monkey and Viper. I love you both but I had no clue how to include you more...  
> And here are some informative videos I used for this chapter!:   
> Tofu recipe video: https://youtu.be/BHBZccIpm-w  
> Noodle video: https://youtu.be/cee6883w2Nk  
> Cuju video: https://youtu.be/XUBWojS3kH4  
> I think that's about it? So without further ado. I can say it's over and pull the curtain on this project and begin anew.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, its time for my prequel-sequel to my other KFP fic, that's mostly showing the aftermath of Shifu's actions. They've definitely gotten closer but as with anything in life, you start to question how these changes came to be. And that's how we got here! This will also have more focus on Tigress and how she started cooking with Po! To be frank, I didn't think I'd finish this piece but here we are!  
> \- I don't actually have many notes in regards to this first part but I do have a new thing I want to try since this fic is completed!  
> Previews for chapter 2: The me inside the mirror says "I want to change!":  
> "Did you just...Did you just eat that raw?"  
> "There's nothing to get. She probably just had an off day. It happens."  
> "MASTER SHIFU! How could you!"  
> Can you guess who says these lines?


End file.
